No genuine citizen will be left out of NRC, assures PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday assured the people of Assam that no genuine citizen will be left out of the NRC and hoped that the citizenship bill will be soon get Parliament's nod.

"I am aware of the problems and difficulties faced by many during the NRC (National Register of Citizens) process but I assure you that no injustice will be done to any genuine Indian citizens," he told the Vijay Sankalp Samavesh Rally at Kalinagar near here.

"The government is also moving ahead with the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. It is linked with emotions and related to peoples' lives. It is not for the benefit of anyone but a penance against the injustice and many wrongs done in the past. I hope the Bill will be passed soon in Parliament," he said, flagging off the BJP's Lok Sabha poll campaign in the Northeast.

Modi also spoke about his government's decision to implement Clause 6 of the Assam Accord "hanging" for 35 years.

"Now the road is clear to safeguard social, cultural and linguistic identity of Assam.

"I am indebted to the people of Assam for voting for the BJP in the recent panchayat elections and I am committed to repay this debt by ensuring the development of the state," he said.

Recalling his inauguration of the country's longest rail-cum-road bridge at Bogibeel in upper Assam on December 25, Modi said "I am fortunate to be with the people of Assam for the second time in 10 days. The Barak and Brahmaputra valleys are a source of inspiration not only for the state but also for the country", Modi said.

The prime minister arrived at Silchar in Cachar district from imphal as a part of his first phase of poll campaign, wherein he is scheduled to address rallies in 20 states in 100 days before the model code of conduct comes into force.

The BJP and its allies is setting the target to win 21 out of the 25 parliamentary seats in eight states in the region and in Assam the party hopes to win at least 11 of the 14 seats.

In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP had made massive in roads in Assam winning seven of its 14 parliamentary seats and in the 2016 assembly polls the party emerged as the single largest party with 61 seats while its alliance partners AGP and BPF had won 14 and 12 seats respectively.