Amit Shah in Parliament: NRC to be implemented across the country, Mamata Banerjee in Murshidabad: No NRC in Bengal

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today announced in Parliament that the National Register for Citizens (NRC) will be carried out throughout the country. He added however, that “no one from any religion should be worried.”

Shah said that NRC is a “process” to get everyone under the citizens’ list. The NRC – carried out in Assam already – has left out 19 lakh people, that includes people who failed to produce documents to prove that they are citizens of the country. However, the government has assured that they won’t be declared illegal immediately, and have the option to appeal against the decision in tribunals and courts

Meanwhile, in West Bengal’s Murshidabad, the state chief minister Mamata Banerjee reiterated that NRC would not be implemented in Bengal. She has been moving around the state for various meetings – including administrative reviews – and assuring people that the Trinamool Congress won’t allow implementation of NRC in the state. She asked people to not be afraid, and assured that even those who do not require using ration cards can still apply for it to be used as a “document” for identity proof. She said West Bengal is more humane and do not intend to throw people out.