Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday assured West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that nobody would be harassed in Assam’s National Register of Citizens (NRC) process, and that it was published in accordance with the provisions of Assam Accord.
The minister’s remarks came after his 45-minute meeting with Banerjee at his residence.
“I have told her that the draft NRC had been published in accordance with the provisions of Assam Accord and as per decisions taken in a tripartite meeting on February 5, 2005 between the Centre, state government of Assam and All Assam Students Union to update NRC, 1951,” Rajnath Singh tweeted.
The minister said he told Banerjee that the exercise to update NRC was being carried out in a totally fair, transparent, non-discriminatory and legal manner.
“Nobody will be harassed in the process and at every stage of the process, adequate opportunity of being heard will be given to all persons. The draft NRC has been prepared in accordance with the law under the monitoring of the Supreme Court,” he said.
Earlier in the day while addressing a conclave by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India here, Banerjee attacked the Narendra Modi government over the NRC draft, saying people are being victimised to win elections, and that it would lead to a bloodbath and civil war. She accused the Centre of interfering with the judiciary.
Over 40 lakh people were excluded in the final draft list of the NRC released on Monday.
After the release of the draft, the Centre has urged people not to panic as “ample opportunity” will be given to the applicants if they file claims and objections between August 30 and September 28.