New Delhi: Taking lessons from its loses in the recently concluded bypolls in Bengal, the BJP has already hit the streets to send the “correct message” to the people of Bengal regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The Bengal unit of the BJP is organising street gatherings, rallies and marches in every district to make the people of Bengal understand the CAA recently passed by the Parliament.
Sources in the BJP have told this correspondent that this is being done across the state in order to contain any misinformation which could spread against the Act.
A senior BJP leader from Bengal told The Sunday Guardian, “The party leaders have been instructed to be on the streets from day one to contain any damage to the party due to rumours and wrong narration which could spread against CAA and the NRC (National Register of Citizens). District leaders have also been told to hold rallies and marches in their respective districts to explain to the people what the Act is all about.”
“The party miscalculated about the NRC last time and it had to face an embarrassing defeat in the bypolls. This time around, it is not taking any chances given that the 2021 Assembly polls of Bengal are just a year away.” the BJP leader said.
The BJP is also using its social media to spread the narration about the CAA. Ever since the CAA was passed in the Parliament, the BJP’s Bengal unit has been spreading the message that it is not against the “Muslims of India”—it is rather to throw out illegal immigrants from Bangladesh into India.
State BJP president Dilip Ghosh, BJP general secretary and in-charge of West Bengal, Kailash Vijayvargiya, along with other senior state leaders, are visiting several Vidhan Sabhas in Bengal to talk to people in Bengal and inform them about the Citizenship Amendment Act.
The BJP’s national working president J.P. Nadda is also likely to visit Bengal on 23 December and hold a mega rally in Kolkata in support of the CAA.
These quick measures are also being taken by the BJP in Bengal because a section of the RSS has apprised the BJP’s Bengal unit that the issue of CAA and NRC could well backfire on the BJP once again due to the widespread protest against CAA.
A source in the BJP, who is aware of the developments, told this correspondent, “The RSS has asked the BJP in Bengal to engage in right messaging on the CAA as according to their report, there is a lot of rumours being spread against the CAA in the state and given that Assembly elections are just a year way, the party should do everything possible to change the winds in its favour.”
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) have also taken to the streets to vehemently protest against the Act. The TMC is also organising rallies and protest marches all across Bengal against the Act.