Guwahati: BJP national spokesperson Meenakshi Lekhi on Wednesday blamed the bureaucracy for ‘mistakes’ in the final and updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam, which was published on August 31 last.
Talking to newspersons here, Lekhi pointed out that the NRC was updated as per the wishes of the people of the state, under the aegis of the Supreme Court, and the orders of the apex court were executed by the state government and its employees.
She said, “If the whole thing (NRC updating) is done to safeguard the interests of the people of Assam and there is any deficiency in it, it will be corrected.”
When asked why the state BJP leadership is dissatisfied with the final NRC as the party is in power both at the Centre and the state, Lekhi sought to move the blame for deficiencies in the NRC on the bureaucracy.
While blaming ‘people with vested interests who have remained in power for long’ for trying to create misgivings about the NRC, she added that they ‘have agents at different levels of the power structure’.
“The bureaucracy remained the bureaucracy as was before. They may have their own agenda or it could be plain mistakes,” she said.
To a poser if the bureaucracy is to be blamed, Lekhi retorted, “Who else is to be blamed? Who is registering? Is the politician registering?”
“The government has political element and the execution is done by the executive,” she said. “The government is formed of three parties — executive, legislators and judiciary. The political leadership have shown their will to act under the judiciary’s order. The execution is conducted by the executive. How can you blame everyone for it?” she asked.
The final and updated NRC for Assam was published on August 31 last, with names of 3.11 crore applicants included in the final list and 19 lakh applicants excluded from it. (UNI)
