CAA debate is back in Bengal; Mamata Banerjee calls Amit Shah’s CAA vow a poll gimmick

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on BJP on Thursday, responding to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s CAA remark, called it a political gimmick ahead of elections.

Amit Shah on Tuesday during an internal meeting with BJP leaders and workers in Kolkata assured that “CAA is the law of the land and will be implemented at any cost”. Hitting out at Mamata Banerjee, Shah accused her of misguiding people over citizenship law and claimed that “BJP government in Bengal in 2026 assembly election will mean the end of infiltration, cow smuggling and providing citizenship to religiously persecuted people through CAA”.

Mamata Banerjee during a public meeting at North 24 Paraganas questioned the logic behind BJP raking the CAA issue or citizenship debate once again ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections. “You all are citizens. If you are getting the social benefits then you are citizens. Previously the DMs could process the citizenship but now they have taken it away from DM. BJP wants to divide people. If you want to give citizenship to one then you must give to other as well”, said the chief minister on Thursday. Mamata Banerjee reiterated that INDIA alliance will fight it out Unitedly across the country. Like TMC, Congress too has hit out at Amit Shah for his CAA jibe.

"Amit Shah is perhaps the most incompetent home minister in independent India. How come he has time to comment on CAA and watch his son administer cricket matches in Ahmedabad, but does not want to comment on Manipur or comment on the Parliament security breach issue...Instead of trying to divert the topic, he should inform us where the investigation is leading to," said Congress leader Priyank Kharge while speaking to a news agency on Wednesday

CAA has been a contentious issue that had transcended into an equally emotive issue ahead of 2019 Lok Sabha elections. BJP managed to win 18 out of 42 seats from Bengal, surprising every pundit. But the same CAA issue was at the heart of a political debate ahead of 2021 assembly elections in the state where TMC secured a landslide victory against BJP.​