GUWAHATI: The BJP-led government in Assam government on Thursday condemned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her reported inflammatory remarks over updating of National Register of Citizens in Assam and accusing her of trying to vitiate the situation in the state.
Assam government spokesperson and Cabinet minister, Chandra Mohan Patowary said, “We condemn the statement of Mamata Banerjee, which is derogatory and insulting to people of Assam. It is against the Constitution and the spirit of the Supreme Court.”
Terming it a ‘politically motivated statement’, he said, “Assam is like a mini-India. All sections live here peacefully.”
“She is making such emotional statements to appease her vote bank. She was unhappy that there was no disturbance after first part draft of the NRC was published and could not gain any advantage,” he added.
Reacting to Banerjee’s allegation that Bengalis will be driven out of Assam post-updating of the NRC, Patowary asked her to submit evidence to the Supreme Court, which is monitoring the updating process, or to the chief minister of Assam.
“She shouldn’t make such statements without knowing all facts. Both our states enjoy old good relations,” he added.
According to reports here, Banerjee while addressing a public meeting in West Bengal on Wednesday , had purportedly termed the NRC updating process in Assam as a step to push out the Bengali-speaking people out of Assam.
Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress also staged a demonstration against the NRC updating process in front of the Parliament on Thursday.
The first part draft of the updated NRC was published at midnight of December 31 last, which included the names of 1.9 crore citizens of Assam out of total 3.29 crore applicants.
The rest of the applicants are under various stages of verification and a second draft would be published shortly.