City
Epaper

Unhappy with final NRC list, BJP promises 'more finals'

By IANS | Published: August 31, 2019 2:28 PM

The much-awaited final National Register of Citizens (NRC) list is out, but the BJP is not happy. Fearing exclusion of a large number of Hindus from the list, the saffron party's man in the northeast Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said he had lost all hope in the NRC.

Open in App

Sarma expressed his unhappiness hours before the release of the final list, which has left out 19,06,657 people.

"We lost hope in the present form of the NRC right after the draft. When so many genuine Ind are out, how can you claim that this document is a red letter for the Assamese society." said the Assam Finance Minister, who is often hailed as the "Amit Shah of the Northeast".

"The NRC is no quarter-final, semi-final and final for driving out Bangladeshis. Wait for a while and you will see more finals under the BJP regime," he added.

Over the past two months, the BJP has tried everything. Both the Centre and the state filed petitions in the Supreme Court seeking re-verification of the NRC data, but the pleas were turned down after NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela's objected to the request.

The BJP leaders have since gone on record to allege that the process does not help Assam's indigenous people, but illegal Bangladeshis. Once the result of the final NRC became apparent, BJP state General Secretary Dilip Saikia even vented his anger against Hajela.

Top BJP sources say, about a month back, during the last Parliament session, Sarma camped in the national capital for two days, to chalk out the party's post-NRC strategy.

Interestingly, it was present BJP Chief Minister Sarbanand Sonowal, who espoused the cause of an updated NRC, which started four years ago on the Supreme Court's directions.

On Friday, Sonowal asked people not to panic and said his government will provide legal aid to the poor, who are excluded from the final list.

The Home Ministry has also extended the time to file appeals against exclusion from the final NRC list in the Foreigners Tribunal from 60 to 120 days.

"As long as the appeal is there (pending), no one will be treated as foreigner," assured Sonowal.

Meanwhile, the TMC, which has criticised NRC process in the past, is silent on the matter.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: nrcbjpThe Supreme CourtSupreme CourtAssam
Open in App

Related Stories

NationalPrajwal Revanna Sex Scandal: BJP Leader Devaraje Gowda Arrested in Chitradurga

NationalArvind Kejriwal Welcomed Home with Traditional Aarti and Garlands After Spending 50 Days In Tihar Jail (Watch Video)

NationalArvind Kejriwal Released From Tihar Jail After SC Grants Him Interim Bail in Delhi Excise Policy Case (Watch Video)

NationalDelhi Court Frames Charges Against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in Sexual Harassment Case

PoliticsPunjab Lok Sabha Elections 2024: BJP Announces Gejja Ram Valmiki as Its Candidate for Fatehgarh Sahib LS Seat

National Realted Stories

National1.23 lakh cases settled in 2nd National Lok Adalat in J&K

NationalGehlot as Amethi observer, Pilot for 'controversial' Kanhaiya Kumar triggers debate among Cong workers

National'Remembering Odisha only during polls won't help', CM Patnaik hits back at PM Modi

NationalAllu Arjun booked after visit to Andhra MLA’s house to lend support

NationalWild elephant tramples woman to death in TN