CAA Protest: Mamata Banerjee holds protest against Citizenship Amendment Act.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who began her ten-day protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act or CAA last week, has coined a new slogan against the legislation, leaving many amused. She repeated the slogan this afternoon for the second consecutive day as she led a march in Kolkata.
"Today's protest is to fight for India," Ms Banerjee told the crowd as she chanted the slogan: "CAA, CAA, Chhi Chii (CAA is bad)."
"CAB... NRC... wapas lo (Revoke the citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens)," she went on to say, adding, "CAB, NRC...lajja...lajja. BJP... lajja... lajja (CAB, NRC...shame, shame... BJP... shame.. shame)."
The clip of Ms Banerjee heard chanting the slogan for the first time at Monday's protest has been widely shared on social media, leaving many amused.
"Whenever you feel bad about your life, you start hating your job, you feel hopeless, just close your eyes and think about those poor souls who were made to stand on a stage just to chant chhi chhi chhi chhi. Felt better ? Thank me later," wrote a user.
Another user wrote: "I was there in this protest and had so much fun in joining her in 'Chhi Chhi!"
Bengal Chief Minister has been a vehement critic of the NRC and the new citizenship law. On Monday, she wrote to her counterparts and opposition leaders across the country to unite and say "no" to the centre's controversial citizenship law and its plans for a nationwide NRC exercise. In her letter the Bengal Chief Minister called for a meeting of opposition parties to "chalk out concerted plan to save democracy".
The Citizenship (Amendment) Act - that cleared parliament earlier this month - makes religion the test of citizenship in India. The government says it will help minorities from three Muslim-dominated countries - Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan - to get citizenship if they fled to India because of religious persecution. However, critics and opposition leaders say it is designed to discriminate against Muslims and violates the secular principles of the constitution.