Mamata Banerjee faces police case after ‘civil war’ remark

Mamata Banerjee has been accused of inciting "hate and tension" among communities in a police complaint filed by activists of the ruling BJP in Assam, hours after she warned of a "civil war and bloodbath" over a list of citizens that leaves out four million people from the northeastern state.

The complaint was filed by three workers of the BJP's youth wing in Assam's Dibrugarh, NDTV reports. 

Banerjee has accused the BJP of trying to divide the country with the draft National Register of Citizens or NRC in Assam, which leaves four million people facing the prospect of deportation.

"The NRC is being done with a political motive. We will not let this happen. They (BJP) are trying to divide the people. The situation cannot be tolerated. There will be a civil war, blood bath in the country," the Bengal chief minister said in New Delhi.

She also accused the government of trying to make millions of people "stateless" in Assam for political gains.

BJP President Amit Shah hit back at a press conference, saying Banerjee was "spreading confusion" with her claims of "civil war". Accusing her of playing vote bank politics, he said, "I heard the whole speech and I am stunned by it.”

"This step has been taken for protecting the rights of the people of India. Every party should make their stand clear where rights of Indians are important or not," Shah said.

The government has insisted that the draft NRC list released on Monday—following a long-drawn process to identify illegal Bangladeshis living in the state - is not final and that people who have been left out will be given a chance to prove their citizenship.

The Supreme Court also ruled yesterday that “no coercive action” would be taken on the basis of the list without a fair hearing to everyone.

The draft list of citizens has triggered huge protests in parliament and outside. While the people in Assam are apprehensive of action, opposition parties have accused the government of targeting Muslims, using illegal migrants as a pretext.

The draft list will be made available to public on Aug 7 and those not on it can file claims and objections from Aug 30 to Sept 28, the Supreme Court said on Tuesday.