Mamata Banerjee announces Rs 5 lakh for kin of Mangaluru police firing victims

Kolkata, Dec 26: A day after the BJP-led Karnataka government ordered the withdrawal of Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia compensation announced for the families of two men killed in anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) stir in Mangaluru, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced Rs 5 lakh each for the kin of deceased -- Jaleel (43) and Nousheen (49). The Trinamool Congress chief made the announcement while addressing an anti-CAA-NRC rally in Kolkata on Thursday.

"We will pay cheque of Rs 5 lakhs each to the families of those who lost their lives in Mangaluru during protests," Mamata said, as she received applause from the gathering for the decision taken by her on "humanitarian grounds". Anti-CAA Protests: Karnataka CM Yediyurappa Withdraws Rs 10 Lakh Ex-Gratia To Kin Of Those Killed in Mangaluru Violence.

The Bengal CM also reiterated that her agitation against the Centre's citizenship project would continue till the CAA and the NRC would not be withdrawn. In her state, she said, the Trinamool government "will never allow" the BJP to impose its majoritarian agenda.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee during protest against #CitizenshipAmendmentAct & NRC, in Kolkata: We will pay cheque of Rs. 5 lakhs each to the families of those who lost their lives in Mangaluru during protests. pic.twitter.com/tq8CCxD0hF

— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2019

Mamata condemned the BJP governments in several states of stifling democracy and denying the people their fundamental right to assembly and protest. In Bengal, the students' agitation against the CAA-NRC project would be supported by the government, she said, while also underlining that the demonstrations must be peaceful.

"I will tell all the students to continue their protest for their democratic rights, in a democratic way," the Trinamool chief said, adding that the ground-level protests would compel the Centre to revoke the "discriminatory" citizenship project.

The anti-CAA protests, which first erupted in Assam and other northeastern states, have now spread to all parts of the nation. The maximum demonstrations are being reported in areas with significant Muslim population. A section of the community views the CAA, through the prism of nationwide NRC, as a ploy to grant citizenship to all non-Muslims while rendering the community vulnerable to lose their citizenship.