BJP playing politics on NRC updating: Gogoi

Stating that voters' list is prepared by the Election Commission, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today claimed the BJP is "playing politics" with the ongoing National Register of Citizens (NRC) updating issue in the state.
Reacting to the controversy over his statement that names of all persons in the voters list be included in the NRC, Gogoi told reporters "I don't prepare the voters' list. It is prepared by the Election Commission, which says the list is a valid one consisting of the names of Indian citizens only."
"The Election Commission is one of the most powerful bodies under the Constitution discharging its duty without any influence. It is the responsibility of the Election Commission to prepare a voters' list consisting of Indian citizens," he pointed out.

"MPs, MLAs have been elected so far in Assam based on the voters' list. Have we been elected by foreign nationals? Then I should be the first to resign. Seven BJP MPs, including Union Sports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, were elected in the last general elections. They did not oppose the voters' list then," Gogoi asserted.
"Why they are blaming me now when I have not prepared the voters' list? Who is playing politics...BJP or me? I am going by the Constitution as to what role we have," he said.
"I had only said a letter will be sent to the Centre for allowing the voters' list to be an additional document like the list of other citizenship legacy proof documents," the Chief Minister said.

"Let the Election Commission reply if there are foreigners in the voters' list. If so, then they (EC) are to be blamed. I believe in the list or else I have no right to continue as the Chief Minister and also Sonowal as Minister," Gogoi said.
"Elections have been held here in 2001, 2004, 2009, 2011 and will be held in 2016. Nobody raised objection or challenged the voters' list then," he observed.