From a packed ground in West Bengal's Thakurnagar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday kickstarted his campaign in the state for the Lok Sabha elections, due by May. In a short address lasting only 14 minutes, he seemed to cut short his speech because of a stampede in the crowd, wrapping up after a brief mention of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and urging the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government to support it in Rajya Sabha.

"After Independence, many people stayed where they were. But after being tortured, they left and came back to India. They had to as Hindus, Sikhs, Parsis and Christians have nowhere else to go but India. And that's why we are bringing the citizenship law. I urge the Trinamool to support it in parliament. My brothers and sisters here need it," the PM said.