Guwahati (Assam) [India], August 19 : While addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that "strange people" from various parts of the country are visiting Assam, and if they do "excessive politics", they would be arrested.
He further stated that such kind of people also came to Assam during the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process and spoiled the entire exercise.
"Even during the NRC process, these people had come, and we have been tracking them. Today, Irfan Ali Engineer, Mumbai High Court Advocate Neha Darbani have arrived. Some more people have been coming from Kerala. During the NRC process, such kind of people had come and spoiled our entire efforts," Assam CM said.
Adding further, CM Sarma said, "At that time, the government didn't keep a watch on such incidents. But this time we are keeping watch on every person. If anyone crosses the limit, they will be arrested. If anyone does excessive politics, they will definitely be arrested. No fundamentalist, whether they come from Kerala, Mumbai or Delhi, will not given shelter in Assam."
He further said that these are fundamentalist forces that promote and protect the activities of certain sections.
The Assam Chief Minister also alleged that, during the NRC process, these people created false records by taking advantage of the same names of individuals and entered the names of those people who actually did not deserve to be included in the list.
The NRC process is aimed at identifying Indian citizens in the state and excluding illegal immigrants, largely perceived to be from Bangladesh.
However, 19 lakh people's names were excluded from the final draft list of NRC. The case of demands for revision of the NRC is still pending in the Supreme Court.
"These issues and many cases have come to light now, and in the last five years, we have found many such cases, anomalies. We are now ready to tell and submit the same to the Supreme Court," Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Earlier, Assam CM has strongly reacted to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's reported remarks on the National Register of Citizens (NRC), alleging that she is attempting to instill "fear" among Bengali communities ahead of upcoming State Assembly elections.
Speaking at a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma dismissed her concerns as unwarranted, saying, "Who has asked her to obey the NRC? She is speaking unnecessarily. She is suddenly saying that she will not obey the NRC. Where is the NRC? Nobody has ordered any NRC."
CM Sarma said, "This is her tactic to create fear among Bengalis and get their vote. She did not talk about NRC for the last 5 years. Only when the Election is coming, she has started talking about all these things."
His reaction comes following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, earlier accused the double-engine government of trying to take away the citizenship of people in the state.
While addressing the public in Jhargram, "I am thinking, are we really independent? I hope our citizenship will not be snatched. Please don't deprive us." The Chief Minister alleged that the 'double engine government' is trying to push citizens into detention by falsely branding them as Rohingyas and attempting to push them back into Bangladesh.
Earlier, CM Banerjee said, "If genuine voters are removed from the voter list, then I will protest in the entire world. Malpua (BJP leader Amit Malviya) is demanding my arrest. Even if you come to arrest me or shoot me, I will keep protesting against the insult of the Bengali language."
"There is an NRC conspiracy behind the ongoing SIR activity. In Assam, nearly seven lakh people have been removed from the voter list, which includes Hindu Bengalis. Notices are being sent in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar and Indian residents are being sent to Bangladesh. Not a single name should be excluded from the voter's list. Our two officers received notice from ECI regarding their suspension. There is no need to fear. Eight to nine months are left for the polls, but the BJP has started to suspend people from now itself. ECI is acting as the agent of the BJP," she said.