GUWAHATI, Sept 11 - The Congress party today accused the BJP of speaking in contradictory voices regarding the NRC issue and trying to sow the seeds of confusion in the minds of the people.
�State BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass yesterday claimed that names of lakhs of genuine Indian citizens are missing from the draft NRC. But Amit Shah had earlier described all the 40 lakh people whose names did not figure in the draft NRC as infiltrators. The Chief Minister says one thing about the NRC and the State BJP chief says another thing. The State BJP and the national leadership of the party speak in divergent voices,� Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Ripun Bora said at a press conference here.
�The views expressed by the BJP leaders regarding the NRC update process are contradictory. BJP is playing a double game. BJP�s old trick is to try and fool the people and exploit their sentiments,� he added.
Bora also termed the affidavit given to the Supreme Court by NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela �unconstitutional�. Hajela suggested that the persons whose names were not included in the draft NRC could submit any one of the 10 out of a total 15 documents in the List-A of the Centre�s draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for claims and objections while dispensing with the remaining five documents.
Bora alleged that Hajela would not have dared to give such a suggestion to the apex court without the direction of the government or the ruling party. There cannot be two different rules, he added.
�In its recent National Executive meeting, the BJP has made it clear that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 will be an issue for the party. Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, during his meeting with the editors of newspapers a few months ago, said he would not allow anything against the interest of the people of Assam. What will Sonowal say now? It is the time for the Chief Minister to make his stand clear on this issue,� said the APCC president.
He added that the NRC and the Citizenship Bill are contradictory.
�BJP leaders repeatedly keep saying that the NRC is the soul of the Assam Accord but they still want to impose the Citizenship Bill on the people of Assam. The Bill, if passed, will destroy the identity of the Assamese people,� Bora said.
He accused the BJP of trying to convert the State into a dumping ground for illegal foreigners.
Bora also thanked the people of Assam for supporting the Bharat Bandh called by the Congress party yesterday.
�People from all walks of life supported us,� Bora said.
