'Is Modi Pakistan's ambassador?' Mamata hits out at Prime Minister from Siliguri rally

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), going so far out as to even throw the question, "Is PM Modi the ambassador of Pakistan?"

While addressing a rally in Siliguri, the TMC supremo used the frequently made comments on Pakistan as a tool to hit out against the saffron camp. Challenging the BJP's remarks, Mamata said, "BJP leaders keep asking people to go to Pakistan. Is Prime Minister Narendra Modi the ambassador of Pakistan?" She alleged PM Modi of always bringing Pakistan into any debate. "Why should we discuss Pakistan? India is our place. Have you forgotten India?" the West Bengal Chief Minister added.

Highlighting comments made by the saffron camp on the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Mamata said that each person in the Narendra Modi-led BJP government speaks differently on the issue and accused them of being full of confusion. ''The Home Minister says one thing, the Prime Minister speaks one thing and Ravi Shankar Prasad says one thing, none of this is fine, they are confused among themselves. They should stop torturing students. How many more people will die? How many abuses do we keep on agitating against until the CAB withdraws?" Mamata said.

Elaborating on the mechanisms of the registers, Mamata said, ''When they say your name should be in the voter list, they forget that they don't even write the name properly on the list. If these people write your name properly then they are writing your father's name incorrectly, your wife's name is written properly, then they write the name of your children wrong''. She said that the authorities should "first, carefully check the voter list.''

Finally, urging people to join hands with her, Mamata Banerjee said, "I am fighting against the National Register of Citizens and the Citizenship Amendment Act. Join hands with me, requesting all people to come forward to save our democracy.'' In this regard, she further stated that she will be holding a similar rally in Darjeeling on January 22 and she expected people of all milieu to join her movement to 'save democracy'.

For context, it was PM Modi who had earlier brought Pakistan into the debate while hitting out at the opposition, who were raising a hue and cry against CAA-NRC. On Thursday, PM Modi had said in an address, "Pakistan was formed after India was divided along religious lines. After that, religious minorities in Pakistan were persecuted. These persecuted minorities found refuge in India." Hitting out at the Congress, Modi had said, "Congress and its allies never talk about these refugees. They never talk against Pakistan. In fact, they are organising people against refugees. I want to tell everyone protesting at Parliament today that it is time to reveal the true face of Pakistan before the world. If you have to protest, do so against what Pakistan has been doing (persecution of minorities) for more than 70 years. Stand in solidarity with the Hindu, Dalits, the oppressed and the exploited in Pakistan."