The CAB has come as a deathly blow to the Mamata government. Whatever action she takes, be it against or in favour of CAB, she only stands to lose.
Bengaluru: West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has put herself in an untenable position.
In simple words, she has put herself in a quandary of appeasement, from which it is difficult to extricate herself.
Take for instance the way violence was unleashed in West Bengal in the garb of Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB). There was widespread hostility with many suffering badly. But in order to safeguard her vote bank, Mamata has refused to take any palpable action.
But why?
If she rejects CAB, she knows it will be a political suicide for her. As she has not taken sufficient action to rein in the vandals, she would have earned the wrath of the Hindus. If she supports the CAB, it would deal a deathly blow to her vote base.
The CAB, now a law, seeks to provide shelter to religiously persecuted Hindus and non-Muslims from the countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.
Though there has been an argument that Muslims too should be considered, the Modi government has made it clear that Muslims will not be religiously persecuted in those countries. Maybe, there can be heartfelt pleas before the Modi government to consider the scope of the bill to include Sri Lankan Tamils and other Hindus in religiously persecuted nations.
A number of petitions have already been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the CAB. However, it is to be noted that the bill is not in contravention of the spirit of the Constitution (articles 14, 15, 21) as article 14 applies only to equals. Whereas articles 15 and 21 apply to the citizens of India.
One must also note that the protest to the CAB is rightful under the law, but to resort to vandalism and arson, damaging public property wilfully is certainly not permissible.
It is high time politicos rise above petty politics and arrest the ills of the society.
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