Mamata Banerjee
File photo of Mamata Banerjee. Image credit - www.mynation.com

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has hit out at the NRC exercise in Assam saying it has exposed all, who were trying to exploit it for politics, now have a lot to explain to the nation.

“My heart goes out to all those, especially the large number of Bengali speaking brothers and sisters, who are made to suffer,” she said on Saturday.

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Also read: Assam gets its updated NRC…finally; 19,06,657 excluded from final list

The updated final NRC, which validates bonafide Indian citizens of Assam, was out on Saturday, with over 19 lakh applicants who failed to make it to the list and now face an uncertain future.

Taking to Twitter, Mamata Banerjee said, “The NRC fiasco has exposed all those who tried to take political mileage out of it. They have a lot to answer to the nation.”

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She further said the NRC fiasco happens when an act is “guided by an ulterior motive rather than the good of the society and the larger interest of the nation”.

Also read: Now, Delhi BJP president bats for NRC in national capital

Earlier in the day, the Trinamool Congress hit out at BJP government at the Centre for allegedly trying to drive out Bengalis from Assam in the name of NRC and said it would have to take the responsibility of the 19 lakh applicants who failed to make it to the final list.

Mamata Banerjee also expressed concern over 19.07 lakh people being left out of the final NRC list and said, “People have been rendered homeless in their own country”.

TMC has been one of the most voracious critics of the citizens’ register and had accused the BJP governments both at the Centre and Assam of trying to drive out Bengalis from the northeastern State.

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“Our party (TMC) supremo (Mamata Banerjee) is very concerned about the future of the 19 lakh people who have been left out of the NRC list. What will happen to them? What is their future? The central government has to take their responsibility,” Hakim said.

Last year after the release of the draft NRC list, Mamata Banerjee had gone all out to oppose it and even sent a TMC delegation to Assam to talk to the people.

“It is a plot to drive out Bengalis from Assam. How can the government be so insensitive that on one fine morning it is declaring citizens, who have been living in Assam for the last several decades, as foreigners?” the TMC leader said.