Kolkata: JP Nadda to lead march on Dec 22 to congratulate Centre for CAA

BJP working president JP Nadda will lead a march to congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government at the Centre for implementing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) here on Monday.

The march is an attempt to counter Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's anti-CAA narrative even as part of the state is witnessing violent protests. The march will see the participation of over 50,000 people in the programme.

Nadda will address a gathering at Dharmatala R Rashmoni Road from where the march will begin. The march will culminate at Swami Vivekanand's residence.

Thousands of BJP workers and supporters will line up on both sides of the road and facilitate Nadda for the new citizenship law.

By ensuring mass participation in the programme, the BJP will seek to counter the Chief Minister's assertion that the whole state was in opposition to the CAA, which grants citizenship to non-Muslim refugees of Pakistan, Afghstan and Bangladesh who arrived in India until December 31, 2014.

The march also holds significance as this will be Nadda's first visit to the state after the new citizenship law was passed by Parliament.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has vowed not to let the CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be implemented in the state, maintaining that the whole state is against the new law.

( With inputs from ANI )