by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
Why Amit Shah pushed for CAA in Winter session?
An Inside story of how BJP, Modi Govt. worked overtime
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Jan. 1
The mystery is unfolding as to why Union Home Minister Amit Shah pushed for the passage of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at the fag end of the Winter session of Parliament.
The entire 2019 had been highly successful and a historic year for the party and the government. After winning LS polls with a massive mandate, the government passed the long pending Triple Talaq Bill in Parliament on July 31 during the Monsoon session. Immediately came the historic moment when Amit Shah succeeded in abrogating Article 370 on August 5 and kept the Valley peaceful throughout. The world also accepted the reality. As if this was not enough, the Ram Temple unanimous verdict from the Supreme Court also came on November 9 which solved the century old dispute.
But it seems Amit Shah became ambitious and wanted long pending CAA bill be passed in 2019 itself.
The underlining political gain of the move was to win the Assembly polls in West Bengal due in 2021. Of the 11 crores estimated population and around 7 crores voters, the Home ministry's estimate of illegal immigrants was one crores in West Bengal. Of these 1 crore illegal immigrants, the BJP's assessment is that nearly 25-30 lakhs belong to non-Muslim religions. The passage of the CAA will make them eligible voters while the 70 lakh illegal Muslims would be denied these benefits.
It was a politically very ambitious target and the BJP leadership was elated with the move when Amit Shah proposed it. The CAA, if implemented, would impoact at least 95 Assembly seats in state.
The abandoned NRC exercise in Assam had revealed that there were 18 lakhs illegal residents in Assam alone. Therefore, the number of such immigrants in WB would be more than one crores. It is in this background that the party and the government wanted the CAA's passage as the Opposition was disintegrated and non-NDA parties were falling in line to support the BJP.
For Amit Shah, winning West Bengal is a dream bigger than Tripura. He is nowadays, even taking lessons in Bengali to address the people of Bengal during the campaign for the 2021 Assembly elections in their own language. The attempt is to counter the narrative that the BJP is a Hindi heartland party.
But the massive street protests has dampened the spirit and everything is now on hold. This was never envisaged.
Ends
