Uproar over Assam list continues

As debate rages over Assam NRC and international media take note of over 4 million people who are at risk of losing citizenship, Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh Rajnath Singh slammed what he called attempts at fear-mongering and disrupting communal harmony.

"It is unfortunate that an atmosphere of fear has been created... Propaganda has been carried out through vested interests on social media to internationalise the issue and disturb communal harmony," he said amid noisy protests by opposition in parliament yesterday.

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While making statement in the Rajya Sabha, he said there would be no discrimination or needless harassment in finalising what he asserted is only a draft list. "The process of National Register of Citizens in Assam is fair and transparent. We are doing everything according to the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court. Every step is being followed," Singh said.

"I assure everyone that no Indian citizen will be left out. No Indian will be left out. There is absolutely no need to worry," he said, adding there would also be no coercive action against those who had been left out of the NRC. Those not included in the final list would be able to appeal to the foreigners' tribunal.

"Everyone will get a chance to apply for citizenship once we have a final list. They will have full rights... nothing will be taken away from them," said the minister.

While the opposition has accused the BJP-led central government of playing vote-bank politics over this issue, the government has responded by saying that the demand for the NRC being updated is a very old one.

Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of West Bengal, and her party Trinamool Congress have aggressively protested against the NRC list, calling it an attempt to divide and rule and target people who would not vote for BJP.

There were protests in parliament over the overnight detention of a team of Trinamool Congress lawmakers at the airport in Assam's Silchar where they had gone to address public meetings and take stock of the situation arising out of the publication of the final draft citizen's list on July 30, reports Our New Delhi Correspondent Pallab Bhattacharya.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned briefly yesterday amid noisy protests by Trinamool Congress over detention of its MPs in Silchar.

As soon as the House took up the Question Hour, Saugata Roy said he has moved a notice for breach of privilege against the Assam home secretary and others for detaining the MPs.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said he can raise the issue after questions. Not satisfied, TMC members rushed to the Well raising slogans against the BJP government in the state and at the Centre. They also demanded a reply from the prime minister.

“BJP ki tanashahi nahin chalegi” [BJP's dictatorship won't run] and “Pradhan Mantri jawab do, Pradhan Mantri kahan gaya” [PM give a reply, where is the PM) were some of the slogans chanted.

Leader of Congress party in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge supported the Trinamool saying it is important to note that MPs were detained when parliament session is on.

The Speaker said what the TMC members were doing was "not proper".

The police in Assam yesterday detained eight members of a Trinamool team in the security area of the Silchar airport. The delegation returned to Kolkata this morning without entering the city.

On August 1, Mamata flew from Kolkata to New Delhi to meet all the leaders who are believed be on the other side of the Modi-Shah ruling axis within or without the BJP. Her meeting with LK Advani was the talking point of the day. Mamata sought Advani's blessings at a time when she had launched a movement against the Modi government over a range of issues including the latest row over Assam NRC.

The reason for Mamata Banerjee's anguish against Assam NRC could be her government's response to the process followed in the neighbouring state and apprehension that the Bangla-speaking people left out of draft list of citizens may head to West Bengal, according to a report of the India Today.

The first NRC was prepared in 1951 and included all those who were mentioned in the 1951 Census of India.

The idea of updating the NRC in Assam stems from the demand to identify illegal migrants in the state from Bangladesh, something which the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and All Assam Gana Sangram Parishad (AAGSP) demanded during the six-year-long Assam Movement. The movement culminated with the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985.