Assam Police files case against WB CM after BJP urges NRC authorities to act
Guwahati: A case was registered against Mamata Banerjee by the Assam Police on Thursday over her statement on National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The case was filed after BJP urged the authorities involved with the NRC in Assam to file a complaint in the Supreme Court against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for alleging that the Centre was "hatching a conspiracy" to drive out Bengalis from the northeastern state earlier on Thursday.
Assam BJP chief Ranjeet Kumar Dass claimed Banerjee made the comment to lure Bengali-speaking people towards the Trinamool Congress, as the saffron party was strengthening foothold in West Bengal.
"We appeal to the NRC authorities to register a case of contempt of the Supreme Court," he told a press conference here.
The NRC of 1951 is being updated in Assam under the supervision of the Supreme Court to identify original residents of the state in order to check illegal migration.
Its first draft was published on December 31 midnight.
Dass alleged that Banerjee does not have any understanding of NRC's progress and wants to hamper the cordial relations between various religions and languages.
"It was a conspiracy for political gain. She made this emotional statement as the Trinamool Congress is becoming weak. She knows that the BJP is going to come to power in West Bengal in future like other states," Dass claimed.
He also claimed that even Bengali youth organisations in Assam were opposing the West Bengal chief minister's remark.
Asked if the BJP will file a complaint against Banerjee, he said, "We have informed the Assam chief minister about it."
Addressing a meeting on Wednesday, Banerjee had accused the Centre of "excluding" names of Bengalis in Assam from the first draft of the NRC.
"I warn the BJP government at the Centre not to play with fire... This is a conspiracy of the Centre to drive out around 1.8 crore people from the state," she had said.
On BJP MLA Shiladitya Dev's reported statement that the first draft of the NRC contained names of foreigners, Dass said the legislator is a responsible person and should inform the NRC authorities if he has proper information.
