GUWAHATI: After the publication of the first draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has targeted the BJP government in Assam leading to sharp reactions.

The first draft of the NRC which is unique to the state of Assam, as it basically certifies citizenship by listing the names of cleared Indian citizens, was published on December 31 midnight. The first draft listed 1.9 crore names out of 3.29 applicants in the state.

In a public meeting in West Bengal's Birbhum district on January 3 Mamata termed the NRC update process a ploy to chase away Bengali people from Assam.

“…there is a conspiracy in Assam to drive away the people who are staying there for the last 30-40 years. 1.25 crore people might be driven away from there in the name of the Citizenship Act. I want to clearly tell the BJP government not to play with fire. Do not stoke fire of unrest in the entire nation. Do not divide and rule. Try to maintain peace," Banerjee was quoted as saying by IANS.

The Trinamool MPs on Thursday also staged a demonstration maintaining that the register was a conspiracy to drive out the Bengali’s from Assam.

To this, Assam BJP president Ranjit Das said that the West Bengal CM is scared of BJP’s rise.

“She is using all these words for her political gain as Mamata and co are pretty scared seeing the rise of the BJP across the country. It seems that she doesn’t have any knowledge on the NRC process. The NRC authority must lodge a complaint against her. We warn her not to play her game of politics with Assam,” Das said in Guwahati.

Following this, police stations in Guwahati were flooded with FIRs against Mamata Banerjee. Political parties, organizations and individuals also slammed the Bengal CM for her remarks described as ‘inflammatory’.

The NRC update process is being monitored by the Supreme Court of India following a series of bipartite and tripartite meetings with the central government, state government and advocacy groups. Though around 1.39 crore people have been left out in the first draft, the next draft is expected to soon.

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief and Dhubri MP Maulana Badruddin Ajmal condemned Banerjee’s statement.

“Mamata didi’s statement on NRC is uncalled for. The NRC is being prepared under the guidance and supervision of the Supreme Court of India. We have full faith on the SC and the government machinery and hope for an error free NRC with the names of all genuine Indian citizens,” Ajmal whose name is also missing in the published first draft said on Thursday.

All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), an influential students’ body of the state which played a major role in the development has also slammed the West Bengal CM.

Tailendra Nath Das, an advocate who lodged an FIR at Latasil police station in Guwahati on Thursday said that Mamata Banerjee’s speech contains inflammatory materials which promote or attempt to promote enmity between different group on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence and language among others.

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ABDUL GANI