Will publish NRC if voted to power: Bengal BJP chief

West Bengal BJP President Dilip Ghosh on Monday said the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be published in Bengal like the one in Assam if his party comes to power in the state.

"If we (BJP) are voted to power in Bengal, then the NRC will be implemented here as well. We will send back illegal citizens to Bangladesh," he told reporters here.

He also threatened to throw out those who support illegal immigrants.

"Many are shedding crocodile tears over the implementation of NRC in Assam. Those who are supporting illegal immigrants, wait and watch. They will also be thrown out," Ghosh said.

"If anybody works against the interest of the country, he will have to move to Bangladesh irrespective of religion or caste. Be it CPI-M, Congress or Trinamool, no one will be spared," he warned.

The first complete draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), comprising names of 2,89,83,677 people of Assam, was published on Monday and 40,07,707 have been left out due to some discrepancies in their documents, according to officials.

Ghosh said those who are criticising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the NRC draft should know it is being implemented under the direct order of the Supreme Court.

"Those who are spreading falsehood to confuse people should know that it (NRC) is happening under the order of the Supreme Court. Dilip Ghosh or Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not doing it," he said.

"It was Congress which had proposed the idea of NRC. Now they are making noise against it in the state assembly. Who listens to them? They are almost extinct. Are they trying to revive themselves by holding on to the NRC issue? People will not make the same mistake twice," he claimed.

Earlier on Monday, leaders of other political parties across the state including Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee strongly criticised the draft NRC, accusing the BJP-led Central government of doing vote politics and deliberately isolating a section of people in Assam.

--IANS

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