Oppn to take up NRC in RS, demand PM's response

Opposition parties are working on a strategy to corner the government on National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the issue is likely to continue to rock Parliament in the coming days with the Opposition insisting on a response from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

While Home Minister Rajnath Singh managed to speak in the Lok Sabha by responding to the concerns raised by MPs, he could not do so in the Rajya Sabha as Opposition parties, especially Trinamool Congress, protested seeking Modi's presence.

Sources said the Opposition will up the ante over the issue in the coming days, especially in the Rajya Sabha where it has numbers.

While senior MP from Assam and Congress chief whip Bhubaneswar Kalita has briefed his party MPs on the issue, Trinamool Congress is also sending a one-page brief to parties, especially from the South, explaining them the issue.

The Opposition parties are insisting that this is an "important" issue where the prime minister's assurance is needed.

"We are not going to settle with an explanation from the Home Minister in the Rajya Sabha. We need the prime minister to assure the people," a senior Opposition leader said.

Parties like the Congress, Trinamool Congress, CPI(M), CPI, TDP, YSR Congress, BSP, Samajwadi Party, RJD and AAP have expressed their concerns over the issue.

Speaking to DH, Rajya Sabha MP and Assam Congress president Ripun Bora said, the omission of 40 lakh people from the list was "surprising" because one cannot believe that there is huge number of illegal migrants in the state.

"When the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) was in government, in 1985 and 1997 they went for intense revision of voters list to weed out illegal citizens. Nowhere in India, intense revision of voters list takes place but summary revision. Then it was claimed 3.5 lakh people doubtful voters. But the Foreigners Tribunal found that 90% in the list were genuine voters. Now if you say there are 40 lakh people, how could you believe that," he said.

Senior Trinamool Congress MP Sukhendu Shekhar Roy told DH, "you have to understand 40 lakh bonafide citizens have not found their names in the list. This is unconstitutional. This is done under political considerations. It is a political conspiracy targeting linguistic and religious minorities."