Adhir Ranjan slams Centre over NRC, accuses it of creating difference in society

Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday hit out at the BJP-led Centre over the National Register of Citizens (NRC), accusing it of attempting to create a difference in the society on communal lines.

"The issue of NRC should not be exploited in a partisan and communal way. When the country is reeling under a severe economic crisis, the government has been devising various ways and means such as NRC to deflect the attention of the common people. I think the government is hell-bent upon on dividing our society on communal lines," he told ANI.

Chowdhury, a Lok Sabha MP from West Bengal's Berhampore, said there should be clarity from the government regarding the NRC.

"What does NRC means? How will it affect our country? What should be the outcome? All issues (on NRC) need to be discussed when the government brings the legislation in the House," he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, Amit Shah said in Rajya Sabha that all citizens of India irrespective of religion will figure in the NRC and the process is different from the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

"The process of NRC will be carried out across the country. No one, irrespective of religion should be worried, it is just a process to get everyone under the NRC," he said.

In the final NRC list published on August 31, a total of 3,11,21,004 persons were found eligible for inclusion in the list leaving out 19,06,657 persons, including those who did not submit their claims in Assam.