Ready for talks with PM, first withdraw CAA, says Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee agreed to hold talks with PM Modi but with a condition that the Centre should withdraw the CAA-NRC first. While holding an event on anti-CAA protest, Banerjee said that they are not accepting CAA, NRC, NPR which has been causing differentiation among the countrymen.

Kolkata (West Bengal): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that she is ready for talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi but first the PM will have to withdraw the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

"It is good that the Prime Minister is ready for talks but first take back the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). They did not call an all-party meet before taking a decision on Kashmir and CAA. NRC, NPR, and CAA these three are bad for the country. We are ready for talks but first withdraw NRC," said the Chief Minister.

Mamata Banerjee was speaking at an event organised to protest against the CAA, through paintings.

Banerjee further added she will not accept the National Register of Citizens (NRC), National Population Register (NPR) and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

"We want a united India, we want united Bengal. We are not accepting CAA, NRC and NPR," she said.

The West Bengal Assembly on Monday passed a resolution against the CAA which was moved by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government.

After Kerala, Punjab and Rajasthan, West Bengal is the fourth state to pass a resolution against the CAA. The state assembly had on September 6 last year, passed a resolution against the NRC.

Protests have been going on in different parts of the country against the CAA which grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh if they entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

(An ANI report)