TMC is 'Team B' of BJP, claims Congress leader

Dubbing the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) as 'Team B' of the BJP, opposition Congress and the CPI(M) on Thursday claimed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "deliberately" obstructed the passage of an anti-citizenship bill resolution in the Assembly. Addressing a press meet here, on the premises of the Assembly, Congress leader Abdul Mannan said the demand by the two opposition parties for a resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) was turned down by the ruling TMC in an "arbitrary manner".

"Never in the past has any ruling party done this... If they (TMC) are serious about their opposition to the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), what prevented them from passing the resolution? It shows they have become 'Team B' of the BJP," Mannan said after attending a one-day special session in the House.

He claimed that the opposition parties had followed all norms to move the resolution against the amended citizenship law and held necessary discussions with Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay, "but the TMC said it cannot be taken up, as the CM had already discussed the matter in September in state legislature. Was the CAA passed in September?" "We had even suggested that the resolution be moved by the ruling party, if not us... But it was the need of the hour," the leader of opposition in the Assembly said. Mannan alleged that the TMC supremo was hitting the streets to publicly air her protests against CAA "probably under fear of losing votes of secular-minded people who are aghast with the Centre's move".

"She (Mamata) has entered into a secret understanding with (prime minister) Narendra Modi and (Union home minister) Amit Shah about not proceeding with the resolution. In return, she would get to save those being probed by the CBI," he maintained. Referring to the draft of the resolution, which the opposition had wanted to discuss in the Assembly on Thursday, Mannan said, "Nowhere in the document we have said anything against the state government. We were even ready to make changes in the draft if asked to." CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said the CM and her party wanted to keep the Centre in good humour to shield those involved in ponzy scams.

"The CM has said she will not attend the anti-CAA meeting of opposition parties in New Delhi on January 13. Even if she doesn't want to participate in a meeting which will be attended by parties opposed to the BJP's dark divisive laws, it will take place and her intention will lie exposed," Chakraborty said..

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