Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday came down heavily on the Narendra Modi Government accusing the Centre of “hatching a ploy” to drive Bengalis and Biharis out of Assam in the name of rectifying the National Register of Citizens.
Joining her, Congress president Rahul Gandhi criticised the Government “for the manner in which the NRC has been undertaken”.
Mamata said she along with her party MPs may visit Assam to take stock of the situation. “Things are being done according to a dirty game plan to throw out Bengalis and Biharis,” she alleged.
“Names of more than 40 lakh people have been struck out of the NRC. Where will these people goIJ Most of them have been living in this country for the past 50 or 100 years. They have their lands, houses everything here.
Why the Centre did not make laws for them so that they can be rehabilitated,” Banerjee asked.
Mamata said she would try to meet Home Minister Rajnath Singh to sort out the issues. The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit Delhi to address a congregation of Catholic Bishops where she is also likely to meet Opposition leaders in the Central hall of Parliament.
When pointed out that Singh had told Parliament that the situation was absolutely normal and that there is no need to panic because no coercive action would be taken against the de-registered people, she retorted, “Had everything been normal then why the Centre has clamped Section 144 in the affected districtsIJ Why have they disconnected internet services and brought in Central forcesIJ This means that they are apprehending problem in those areas.”
“If there is any problem in Assam then the BJP will be responsible for it as they have created this provocative situation there,” she said.
When asked as to whether she saw a communal angle in the whole affair she said, “There is no Hindu-Muslim issue. It is simply a drive against the Bengali population living in Assam for decades. This is being done to gain narrow political mileage during the elections.
“This is simply a divide and rule policy being pursued by the BJP Government.”
“The names of people have been struck out of the NRC just on the basis of their surnames. Is this not a discrimination against the people of the same country on the basis of a languageIJ,” she said.
Meanwhile, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the NRC was initiated by the UPA under Manmohan Singh to fulfill the commitment made in the Assam Accord of 1985. “However, the manner in which this exercise has been undertaken by the BJP Governments at the Centre and in Assam leaves much to be desired. There are reports pouring in from all corners of Assam of Indian citizens finding their names missing in the draft NRC, creating massive insecurity in the state,” Rahul said in a Facebook post.
He alleged that after spending close to Rs 1,200 crore from the exchequer, the execution of this critical and highly sensitive exercise has been tardy.
“I appeal to all members of the Congress party to help maintain peace and help all those against whom an injustice has been done in the draft NRC, no matter what their religion, caste, gender, linguistic group or political affiliation,” he remarked.
The Congress asked the Government to immediately convene an all-party meeting on the NRC issue and inform the Opposition on the proposed steps to ensure that no Indian citizen is left out. “The Government must immediately call a meeting of leaders of all parties and should inform about the steps it proposes to take,” said party spokesperson Anand Sharma, adding there should be no politics over the issue.
The former Union Minister said till all matters related to the NRC are disposed, people and families should not be separated and the matters be kept in abeyance. The NRC issue is of international importance as it affects relation with neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh. It also has inter and intra State repercussions, Sharma said.
“Questions have been asked over the methodology being followed in finalising the NRC. It raises question marks on the credibility of the process,” he said.
He also urged the Government to remove shortcomings in the entire process and that all issues be settled as per the 1985 Assam Accord signed in the presence former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The problems should be sorted out in the ambit of the Assam Accord of 1985, the Congress leader said.