Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of “misleading” people on the CAA and “facilitating” infiltrators for vote bank politics, emphasising that refugees should apply for citizenship without apprehension.

Addressing an election rally in Balurghat, his first in Bengal since the Lok Sabha polls were announced, Shah slammed the TMC government “for trying to save the culprits in the Bhupatinagar bomb blast case” and for filing cases against NIA officials.

“Mamata Didi is misleading people about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). She is saying that if you fill out the application, you will lose your citizenship. Why is she against refugees obtaining citizenship? Today, I have come to tell you that all the refugees should fill out the application without any fear, everyone will be given citizenship,” he said.

“You have as much right in this country as I do. Granting citizenship to refugees is our commitment,” he added.

The Centre last month implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, notifying the rules four years after the law was passed by Parliament to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014. Referring to the recent incidents in Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas, where allegations of sexual abuse against TMC leaders have emerged, Shah said it is a matter of shame that “Mamata Banerjee, despite being a women chief minister, tried to protect the culprits.”

“You are a woman chief minister and you are doing politics over the incidents in Sandeshkhali. For years, atrocities continued right under your nose and when the ED went to arrest TMC goons, they were pelted with stones. To get some votes through appeasement, you are protecting the criminals of Sandeshkhali,” he said.