The BJP on Friday termed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's UN referendum demand for CAA and NRC as shocking and an insult to Parliament and demanded an apology from her.
"It is shocking that Mamata Banerjee is talking about referendum. Who is the UN body to monitor the referendum? This is an insult to the 130 crore people of the country and their mandate. Mamata should apologise," senior BJP leader and Union Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters.
Addressing a rally in Kolkata on Thursday, Banerjee had dared the ruling BJP to go for a UN-monitored referendum on the matter. "If BJP has guts, it should go for a UN-monitored referendum on the amended Citizenship Act and NRC. If the BJP loses this mass vote, then it should step down from the Government," she had said.
Javadekar said some people were trying to create a confusion over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
"CAA is about inclusion and not exclusion. They are talking the language of Pakistan. There are some elements who are causing confusion. We are trying to reach out to people with the right approach," he said.
For her part, Union Minister Smriti Irani criticised Banerjee saying her remark was an insult to the Parliament. The Union Textile Minister, who was in the city to attend an event at a city hotel, said, "The comment (made by Banerjee) is an insult to Indian Parliament. The legislation has been passed by the Parliament."
"The statement from the chief minister is an attack on the democratic structure of the country and no one in the country will agree to her views," she said.
Another senior BJP leader and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said: "We never wanted a 3rd party or international fora's interference in our affairs. On a completely domestic matter she has chosen to ask for UN. Does she have no faith in institutions of India?"
Banerjee, who has been at the forefront of protests against the National Register of Citizens (NRC) across the country and the new citizenship law, has led marches criss-crossing the city since Monday.
On Thursday, union minister Babul Supriyo had said," Does she realise what she is saying? She should stop making herself a laughing stock. I think her advisers have stopped giving her good advice."