AIUDF stages walkout in Assam Assembly over updating NRC

The Assam Assembly today witnessed uproarious scenes over the issue of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) resulting in a brief walkout by the MLAs of principal opposition party All India United Democratic Front.
Trouble began during the Question Hour this morning when AIUDF MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed demanded that the state government should approach the Centre seeking use of the term "preparation" instead of "update" in the application form for the NRC.
He also asked if it was possible to go for amendments in the sub-rules under the Citizenship Amendment Rules 2009.
In reply, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister said that the work on updating of the NRC had been decided after extensive consultations with political parties, non-political organisations and civil society in the state.

Hussain, however, said that in future communications to Centre the term "update/preparation" could be used.
He also assured the Assembly that safeguards had been put in place to ensure that genuine citizens were not left out of the updated NRC.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi intervened on the issue and said that going for any change in rules would only delay the process further.
"The basic objective is to prepare the NRC. If we go into technicalities, the process will only further be delayed," Gogoi said.
However, when Ahmed tried to speak once more on the issue, Speaker Pranab Gogoi disallowed him and said the MLA had already utilised his time.

MLAs from the Congress also objected to Ahmed and tried to shout him down.
In protest, all AIUDF MLAs led by their Legislature party leader Sirauddin Ajmal walked out of the house. However, they returned to the Assembly after some time.