International Migrants Day: Will take care of anyone who seeks shelter in Bengal, says Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that the state "will take care of anyone who seeks shelter." 

In a tweet on the International Migrants Day, she tweeted, "It is our humanitarian obligation to give refuge to migrants. In Bangla we will take care of anyone who seeks shelter in our State, to the best of our abilities."

Her tweet comes in the backdrop of National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in Assam where 40 lakh people have been left out of the final draft NRC list, published on July 30.

The Supreme Court had last week extended to December 31 the deadline for filing claims and objections for inclusion of names in the NEC for Assam by those who have been left out in the draft NRC.

The draft NRC was published on July 30 in which names of 2.89 crore of the 3.29 crore people were included. The names of 40,70,707 people did not figure in the list. Of these, 37,59,630 names have been rejected and the remaining 2,48,077 are on hold.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo has been very vocal on NRC issue. She has said that she would stand by people left out in the NRC in Assam. She had also sent a delegation of TMC leaders to Assam after the publication of the final draft NRC list.

She had also expressed her willingness that people whose names were not included in the list can come and stay in West Bengal.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rules at the Centre and in Assam, has accused Mamata of favouring illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. 

International Migrants Day is observed on December 18 in accordance with Resolution 55/93 of the United Nations General Assembly, adopted on December 4, 2000.

Besides, Minorities Rights Day is also being marked today in the country. Extending greetings on the day, Mamata said over 1.7 crore minority community students have been awarded scholarship in West Bengal.

"Today is #MinorityRightsDay. We are all equal and united. Unity in diversity is our strength. You will be happy to know that in #Bangla, we have distributed scholarships to over 1.7 crore minority students, the highest in the country. My best wishes to all," she said in a tweet. 

(With PTI inputs)