CAA In Focus As PM Modi, Mamata Banerjee Court North Bengal

Cooch Behar, the crucial north Bengal district, became subject to strong opposing political views today as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi held rallies within 30 km of each other. While Ms Banerjee labelled the BJP worse than a snake -- "You can trust a snake and even pet it, but not the BJP" --- the Prime Minister addressed what has come to be the burning political issue in the state, the Citizenship Amendment Act. But his defence was crouched in an attack on the ruling Trinamool Congress -- the CAA is being tarred to remove attention from corruption, he said, without naming Ms Banerjee or her party.