Amid protest WB govt directs on NPR work; over 354 arrested to maintain peace, harmony

Kolkata, Dec 16: Amid the continuing violent protest over the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act in parts of West Bengal. And, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led mega rally condemning implementation of NRC and Citizenship law, senior officials of the state government on Monday issued stay orders on work related to the National Population Register (NPR) across the state.

The protests led to road and rail blockades. The violence is not dying down despte of warning by state's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and authorities, over 300 people were arrested so far.

Condemning the CAA Mamata led a mega rally from Red Road to Jorasanko Thakur Bari, the ancestral house of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in north Kolkata.

She has strictly urged the agitators to not indulge in vandalism and arson, saying that it will only undermine the very motive of the protest.

Reportedly, the official circular, (392-Home (NPR)/O/Cen-02/19) has been issued by the additional secretary of Home and Hill Affairs Department. Meanwhile, the notice has also been forwarded to all the district magistrates and commissioners of Kolkata and Howrah Municipal Corporations.

The NPR is being prepared at the local (village/sub-town), sub-district, district, state and national levels under provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955, and the Citizenship (Registration of Citizens and issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. It is a register of residents of the country.

Mamata lashed out at WB Governor Jagdeep Dhankar, she wrote to him stating, "Really sorry to see your frequent tweets and press briefings criticizing State Govt...Prime focus of the state administration is to maintain peaceful situation as against what is going on throughout the country."

Dhankar has asked CM Matama to brief him about the situation in the state on Tuesday.
Replying to CM's letter he told to news agency ANI, "...Even on current critical situation in the State, I've not been briefed by State Govt. I'd like that we in tandem, in larger public interest work so that people of West Bengal get respite from violence&peace is restored."
The TMC supremo had earlier blamed in an apparent refering to Asaduddin Owaisi of AIMIM for vandalism and arson.

The agitators have blocked road and railway stations in East Midnapore, Murshidabad, Malda, Nadia and North 24 Parganas districts, inconveniencing hundreds of commuters.

Internet services continued to remain suspended in many parts of the state- Malda, Uttar Dinajpur, Murshidabad, Howrah, North 24 Parganas and parts of South 24 Parganas.
Mamata government has also asked media houses to exercise caution while reporting incidents of violence in the state.