Assam govt would have prepared error-free NRC: CM Sonowal

Guwahati: Had the state government been tasked with preparing the National Register of Citizens (NRC), it would have been error-free, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal said in the assembly.

Sonowal, who was replying to the debate on governor’s speech on Monday midnight, said the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was brought after much deliberation and discussion unlike the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) Act, 1983, which was imposed on Assam unilaterally by the then Congress government.

The Supreme Courtmonitored final NRC, published on August 31 last year, excluded 1,906,657 people from the list.

Sonowal in his hour-long speech said: “Soon after taking charge as chief minister, I went to NRC-coordinator’s office. The exercise was carried out as per the clause 5 of the Assam Accord, which relates to detection and deportation of foreigners. I discussed with the NRC coordinator how NRC can be error-free and what state government can do. About 55,000 state government employees worked for the exercise.”

Sonowal said: “If state government had taken the responsibility, NRC would have been error free.”

Sonowal said: “Due to the misinformation campaign, attempt is being made to terrorise people. However, I am of the firm belief the people will understand.”

Sonowal asked the people to wait till CAA rules are framed. “Once rules are framed, there will be applications, which will be scanned. This is an all-India Act. An impression is being created that Assam will be made to bear the brunt of foreigners. The numbers being floated are imaginary. Assam government has given its suggestions for the rules.”

Assam is witnessing massive anti-CAA protests. All Assam Students’ Union, which is spearheading the movement, has asked the people to burn the copies of CAA on Wednesday as part of Magh Bihu celebrations.