Assam NRC row: RS adjourned after Shah drags Rajiv Gandhi

The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day on Tuesday after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah dragged former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's name during the discussion on the ongoing controversial issue of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) draft list in Assam.

Shah said, "Rajiv Gandhi signed the Assam Accord in 1985, which was similar to NRC. They did not have courage to implement it, we did."

His comment caused uproar in the house as the Congress MPs walked up to the well of the house in protest.

The opposition has been all out to attack the ruling party following the release of the second and the final draft list. The first draft was published on December 31, 2017, and names of 1.9 crore of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated.

The final list, released on Monday, left out nearly 40 lakh people, incorporating names of 2.89 crore people out of 3.29 crore applicants.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi said, "There are reports pouring in from all corners of Assam of Indian citizens finding their names missing in the draft NRC, creating massive insecurity in the state. Clearly, after spending close to Rs 1,200 crore, the execution of this critical and highly sensitive exercise has been tardy. The government must move swiftly to resolve this crisis."

However, Home Minister Rajnath Singh has already given a statement urging political parties not to politicise such a sensitive issue.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Singh said, "I want to ask the Opposition, what is the Centre's role in this? It is happening under the supervision of the Supreme Court. Such sensitive issues should not be politicised.