KOLKATA, (IANS): West Bengal Chief
Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday requested Muslim religious leaders to
shift the protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act from the state to Delhi.
“Maintain peace in your
localities in West Bengal. There is no point in carrying out the movement on
this issue here in West Bengal. Shift the protest movements to New Delhi. Do
not create tension in the state after being provoked by the BJP. Instead,
approach those who are creating tension,” the Chief Minister said while
addressing a meeting with the Imams, Muezzins, and religious leaders from the
Muslim community in the state.
The meeting was reportedly
convened to discuss the way ahead to oppose the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
CM Banerjee also insisted that
there was a necessity to fight the Waqf (Amendment) Act in the legal way.
“That is why I am saying that
we have to fight the battle in New Delhi and not in West Bengal,” the Chief
Minister said.
She also advised religious
leaders from the Muslim community to approach the office of President
DroupadiMurmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and convey their objections to
the Act there.
She also said that in the
National Capital the members of the Trinamool Congress’ Parliamentary team
would also be backing any movement on this issue.
“The new Waqf Act is against
the Indian Constitution and the Indian federal structure of democracy. Article
18 and Article 35 of the Indian Constitution speaks of the right of the state
government over any property. The new Waqf Act is against that and hence against
the federal structure of Indian democracy,” the Chief Minister said.
CM Banerjee also said that
Article 26 of the Indian Constitution speaks of the right to practice any
religion in the country and based on that get the right of property inheritance
and maintenance.
“You have snatched away those
rights of the people. The rights of both Ram and Rahim have been snatched
away,” CM Banerjee said.
Earlier, CM Banerjee had
announced that the new Act would not be implemented in West Bengal and had
assured the people from the minority community that she would always be there
to protect their interests and property.
The BJP had claimed that a Chief Minister does not have any right to say that a Central Act will not be implemented in their state.
