Centre using CAA to hide failures: Dutt

Talking to reporters, Dutt said CAA plus National Register of Citizens (NRC) will affect the poor and vulnerable the most and added that it will divide the rich and poor of India.

“In a democratic country everyone has got the right to protest the misdeeds of the government. But the BJP is crushing dissent and unleashed repression against those who are protesting,” he said.

Dutt alleged that on directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Amit Shah and Yogi Adityanath, police dealt the peaceful agitators with brutality, adding that the BJP is ruining the country through CAA and the youths and common man are redeeming it. “The Modi government is hell bent in imposing the “J&K model “of normalcy in the country,” he charged. Dutt also sought a response from Rashtrapati Bhavan on the decision of Pondicherry University to prevent a gold medalist from receiving the award from President Ram Nath Kovind during the University convocation on December 23.

He also charged that the Puducherry has been singled out for the worst treatment by the BJP government through its “agent” and “nominee” Lt Governor Kiran Bedi. “Raj Nivas is now being converted into the BJP headquarters here,” he charged. Pointing out the intervention of the Lt Governor into several issues, including the appointment of State Election Commissioner, distribution of free rice etc, Dutt said that she stalled the SEC appointment to appoint a particular officer close to her. “Rules have been framed in such a way that only that particular officer would be eligible,” he added.

Stating that there is a conspiracy to prevent the Congress government from fulfilling its promises given to the people in the election manifesto, he said that because of this only, Puducherry was not granted statehood, not included in the 15th Finance Commission, did not reimbursed the expenses incurred for the implementation of seventh pay commission recommendations among others.

As such the demand of the Chief Minister to re-call the Lt Governor is based on facts and on her “autocratic and anti-Constitutional working.”

“If the President or Home Ministry fail to intervene, it will set a wrong example in the country,” he added.