The opposition on Saturday expressed concern over the exclusion of over 19 lakh people from the NRC in Assam and said steps should be taken to ensure that no Indian citizen is left out, while the state BJP said it does not trust the updated list and a legislation will be brought to safeguard the interest of genuine applicants.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi held discussions with top functionaries on issues related to the National Register of Citizens (NRC), after the updated final list of the register was released on Saturday, and leaders said the party stands by those excluded and will provide them legal aid.
While AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi attacked the Centre saying the 'myth' of 40 lakh illegal migrants in the state has been busted with the updated list excluding 19 lakh people, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee alleged that "it is a plot to drive out Bengalis from Assam".
Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said his party will stand by all those genuine citizens who have been left out of the NRC and will continue to fight for them and provide legal aid,
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whose TMC has been one of the most voracious critics of the citizens' register, said "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 last several decades, as foreigners."
"We do not trust this NRC. We are very unhappy. We appeal the central and state governments to prepare a national level NRC," BJP Assam president Ranjeet Kumar Dass sa
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