West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has stated that she would “never allow” the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state. She made this statement during an administrative review meeting in Malda, where she also advised people to exercise their voting rights and ensure that their names are on the voters’ list. Banerjee has been a vocal opponent of the NRC and has accused the central government of using it as a means of targeting minorities.
Mamata Banerjee’s statement reiterating that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) would not be implemented in West Bengal is in line with her earlier position on the issue. The NRC is a proposed nationwide citizens’ register that would require individuals to prove their citizenship with valid documents. The issue has been a controversial and divisive one in India, with some political parties opposing it on the grounds that it discriminates against certain communities. Banerjee’s advice to people to exercise their voting rights and update their Aadhaar cards is a common refrain among politicians, who see voter participation as essential to the functioning of democracy. Updating Aadhaar cards is important as it is a government-issued identification card that has been linked to various services and benefits.
