GUWAHATI, March 14 - The State BJP is likely to push for the NRC of 1951 as the original record of citizenship which in its opinion is closest to compliance with the terms of citizenship laid down in the Constitution of the country.
Party sources said that the issue of NRC update has gained importance of late with the Assembly elections next year and the BJP was deliberating on the NRC of 1951 for a genuine and error free voters list for the State.
It needs to be mentioned here that the issue of NRC update in the State came up at the party�s two day State executive meet that concluded on Sunday. The party has constituted a five member committee to look into all aspects of NRC update and submit the report at the earliest.
The sources said that the law which is applicable for the rest of India in regard to citizenship should not be separate for Assam. As per the Constitution, other than the permanent residents of its territories at the time of independence, citizenship was automatically available to migrants who came from Pakistan before 19 July 1948. Anybody who came to India from Pakistan between 19 July 1948 and 26 July 1949 were also eligible for citizenship, but they had to register themselves. Other than that, anyone who comes to India is a foreigner and there is appropriate legislation to deal with them.
The sources further said that the NRC of 1951 is not publicly available and the party is likely to press for the 1951 NRC to be made widely available.
The Centre too has proposed in a notification for the 1951 NRC and electoral rolls prior to 1971 as the benchmark for update of the NRC of the State, but it has evoked sharp reaction from the AUDF, AAMSU and a few other organisations who have demanded modification of the notification and preparing the NRC of the State based on the electoral rolls of 1971.
Meanwhile in a press meet here, the BJP State president Ranjit Dutta said that the party was firm on fielding its candidate for the Rajya Sabha and was hopeful of the AGP�s support as the BJP had extended support to the AGP on two earlier occasions. Dutta said that the BJP had four meetings with the AGP in this regard.
Dutta said that several resolutions were adopted at the party�s executive meet and one of them is to collect 15 lakh signatures of the people to register their protest against price rise and it will be submitted to the President of the country on April 21.
