CM Mamata Banerjee Urges Migrant Workers to Vote Before Returning to Work

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has made a fervent plea to migrant workers gathered in West Bengal for Eid celebrations to participate in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections before resuming work in their respective locations. Speaking at a public rally in Murshidabad, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader raised concerns about the potential consequences of the BJP-led government retaining power at the Centre, warning that it could lead to the revocation of their Aadhar cards and citizenship, as reported by ANI.

Banerjee emphasized the importance of exercising their voting rights, stating, “I would like to request all the migrant workers who have come here to celebrate Eid please don’t go back without voting because if you don’t vote in the coming days, they will take away your Aadhar card and your citizenship.”

Strongly opposing the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state, the chief minister affirmed her stance, declaring, “I will not let CAA be implemented here. I have not let NRC be implemented here. It was implemented in Assam, and so many people died.”

Expressing apprehensions regarding the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC) mentioned in the BJP’s election manifesto, Banerjee cautioned, “Now they are also talking about UCC, do you know what will happen? All of you will lose your identity if they bring in UCC.”

Banerjee’s appeal comes amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, with three constituencies in West Bengal – Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri (SC), and Alipurduars (ST) – conducting polls in the first phase on April 19.

In the 2019 general elections, all three constituencies were secured by the BJP. Despite this, in the 2021 assembly polls, Coochbehar and Alipurduars remained strongholds for the BJP, winning a majority of segments in both constituencies. However, in Jalpaiguri, the TMC emerged victorious in five segments, while the BJP managed to secure two.

Banerjee’s impassioned plea underscores the significance of civic engagement and the crucial role of migrant workers in shaping the electoral process.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Malika Sahni