Both Houses of Parliament witnessed uproarious scenes on Monday over the deletion of 40.07 lakh applicants’ names in Assam as Indian citizens in the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which the Opposition dubbed as the BJP’s ploy to push communal polarisation.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha that the NRC is being prepared under the direct supervision of the Supreme Court and the government was in no way responsible for weeding out or including anyone.
The final draft of the NRC was published on Monday with 2.9 crore names of the total 3.29 crore applicants in Assam. The names of 40.07 lakh applicants did not find a place in the document, touted to be proof of Assamese identity. The first draft of the NRC was published during the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 this year, and contained 1.9 crore names.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned thrice, the third time for the entire day as the Trinamool Congress, whose chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the NRC as part of the BJP’s political strategy in the election year to “divide and rule”, led the charge, with other opposition parties joining in. A number of Left, TMC and Congress MPs were on their feet in the Lower House as well, where Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked the Home Minister to respond to the members’ concern. She, however, did not allow any discussion on the Home Minister’s statement.
“The NRC is being demanded for a long time by the people of Assam,” said the Home Minister. “The government has done nothing. The entire exercise is being conducted under the supervision of the Supreme Court. Whatever list has been published is not final. For now, 2.89 crore NRC has been published. Claims and objections are invited. They will be filed, duly noted and disposed of. The Supreme Court will decide on the disposal. Claims and objections will be decided at the highest administrative level.”
Rajnath Singh appealed to the opposition MPs not to “politicise a very sensitive issue”.
“Please do not create unnecessary panic. I appeal to the entire House, it is a very sensitive issue. We should all cooperate. Let the opposition decide what our (the Government’s) role should be. These sensitive issues should not be politicised,” said the Home Minister.
The Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the entire day following intermittent adjournments and uproar. The Upper House witnessed as many as three adjournments during the day before the Chair called it a day at 2:13 pm.
When the House reconvened at 2 pm after the second adjournment, TMC MP Derek O’Brien of the TMC stood up demanding a discussion on the notice given by him on the NRC. However, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu said he had taken the initiative earlier in the day and even called the Home Minister to the House to respond on the issue, but order could not be restored in the House.
“The Home Minister came all the way to the House, neither the members were willing to say anything nor did they allow the House to function,” Naidu said, adjourning the Rajya Sabha for 10 minutes.
When the House reconvened at 2:11 pm, O’Brien again demanded a discussion on the issue under Rule 267.
“It is not a political issue, sir. It is a question of human rights, it is a humanitarian issue, it is a national issue ... we need to look after Indian citizens. Please allow me to raise this issue, sir,” he said.
However, Naidu reiterated that he had called the Home Minister to the House earlier in the day for a discussion, but the House was not in order and hence the opportunity could not be utilised.
TMC members up in arms
When the House had assembled for the day and listed papers were laid after mourning the death of former member N Thangaraj Pandian, TMC members led by Derek O’Brien were up on their feet raising the issue. SP members and some MPs from the Congress too raised the issue, leading to a din.
Naidu first said he had not received any notice and later said that some members had met him and expressed their desire to raise the NRC issue. As the din continued, he adjourned the House till noon.
When it reconvened, opposition members, especially from the Congress, the TMC and the Samajwadi Party, were on their feet again. But Venkaiah Naidu did not allow them and adjourned the proceedings for the second time till 2 pm.
Later, O’Brien told reporters that the TMC would circulate a note on the NRC among other political parties. “We think the NRC is inhuman and violates human rights. We will circulate a note on it among all political parties,” he said.
Deputy leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma urged the Centre to call a meeting of all parties to discuss Assam’s NRC.
Sharma said the matter relates not just to Assam but was important for Tripura and West Bengal, too. “The decision must be kept in abeyance. Families should not be separated,” he said. He said the Centre must inform all parties about the decisions. The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha is demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi come to the Upper House and clarify the Centre’s stand on the NRC.