NRC: Don't trust any leader from outside, says Mamata Banerjee

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged the people of West Bengal to not to trust any leaders from outside as some are instigating the public in the name of National Register of Citizenship (NRC).

"Some people are instigating you in the name of NRC. Don't trust any leader from outside, trust us who fight from this land and stand beside you," she said while addressing a public gathering here.

Further, she said: "NRC will not be implemented, keep this in mind. There is nothing to worry about."

Earlier today, Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha said that all citizens of India irrespective of religion will figure in the NRC list, adding that NRC 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.

He said that Citizenship Amendment Bill is needed so that Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, Christian, Parsi refugees who are being discriminated on basis of religion in Pakistan, Bangladesh or Afghanistan, get Indian citizenship.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8, aims at granting citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.

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.