Bengalis, Bihari's being made refugees, Mamata on Assam NRC
Kolkata, July 30 (IBNS) : Going ballistic against the Centre for the exclusion of over four million names from Assam's draft National Register of Citizens (NRC), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that it is a "game plan" to throw out Bengalis and Biharis and render them as refugees in their own country.
Addressing the media before leaving for Delhi on a three-day visit, she said people even with Aadhar cards and passports are not in the complete NRC draft for Assam, published on Monday. " Is the Government trying to do forceful eviction ?" she asked.
"People are being isolated through a game plan. We are worried because people are being made refugees in their own country. Its a plan to throw out Bengali speaking people and Biharis. Consequences will be felt in our state also," Banerjee, who is also the supremo of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress, said.
She said she would personally take up the matter with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh while her party MPs would go to Assam to take first-hand stock of the situation.
"Where will the 40 lakh people whose names have been deleted go? Does the Centre have any rehabilitation programme for them? Ultimately it is Bengal which will suffer. Its just vote politics by BJP," Mamata said.
She requested the Union Home Minister to bring an amendment.
Earlier on Saturday, Assam published its updated draft of National Register of Citizens in which the names of 2,89,83,677 people out of the 3,29,91,384 applicants figured, leaving a staggering 40,07,707 out of the list.
The part draft, published on December 31 last year, had the names of 1.9 crore people.
However, the Centre sought to dispel the fear deportation, saying that this is only a draft and those dropped out of the list need not be panicked as they have the options for putting forward their objection and defend themselves as Indian citizens.
"Some people are unnecessarily trying to create an atmosphere of fear... This is a draft and not the final list," Home Minister Rajnath Singh said.
NDTV quoted Satyendra Garg, Home Ministry official in charge of the northeast as saying, "Based on this draft no reference case will be sent to the foreigner tribunal or put in a detention centre."
Ahead of the publication of the draft, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had also told The Times of India on Sunday that applicants who do not find their names in it need not be apprehensive as they will get adequate opportunities to prove their eligibility for inclusion of their names in the final NRC.
Sonowal had also asked people to refrain from making "inflammatory" remarks.
The issue also created a ruckus into Parliament, with Rajya Sabha being adjourned till 2 pm today afternoon.
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