Mamata Bala Thakur rebukes BJP’s Tathagata’s health ‘check-up before citizenship’ remark

Kolkata: Mamata Bala Thakur, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP and chairperson of Matua Mahasangha on Monday slammed senior BJP leader Tathagata Ray for his comment on CAA that citizenship must be given after carrying out a health checkup of the applicants.

During a press conference, Thakur said: “How can an educated person like Ray make such statements? Ray on social media said that citizenship must be given after conducting a health checkup. He tagged the message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. Does that mean that the PM and HM have supported Ray’s statement?”

Thakur also raised questions as to why the BJP has given a ticket to Shantanu Thakur if he is not a citizen of the country. She also raised the question as to why Shantanu Thakur was made Central minister.

“Shantanu sometimes says that he will not apply for citizenship. We heard that he sometimes said that he will fill up the form and apply for citizenship. Shantanu is issuing cards to Matuas against money with assurance that they will be given citizenship. Does the amount go to the PM and HM?” Mamata Bala Thakur asked.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh also attacked senior BJP leader Tathagata Ray for his comment on CAA. Ray in a post on X on Sunday said: “TMC is raining disinformation in West Bengal about CAA. Chances of people being misled are increasing by the day. Union Home Ministry must wake up and CLARIFY THE FOLLOWING WITHOUT DELAY”.

Ray further asked: “How would a Hindu fugitive from Islamic torture in Bangladesh who entered India with only the clothes on his or her back earn citizenship. 2. What would be the status of a fugitive whose application for citizenship is rejected?”

Countering Ray, Ghosh on X said: “@tathagata2 crossed all boundaries today by asserting his views on CAA mentioning that circumcision should be the deciding factor to determine the citizenship of a person in India.”

Mamata Bala Thakur also said that the Matuas had demanded citizenship without any prior conditions but now the BJP-led Centre is demanding documents. How these people who were persecuted long ago will submit documents to substantiate under which circumstances they had to flee the country. As they will apply for citizenship in the DM office in the first phase, they may be marked as emigrants.