BJP leader Manoj Tiwari says NRC is "needed" in Delhi
On the day when Assam's final list of National Register of Citizens (NRC) was released, Bharatiya Janata Party's Manoj Tiwari made a controversial remark. The Bhojpuri actor-turned-politician said NRC is "needed" in Delhi as the situation has become "dangerous". His comment was quickly slammed by All India Mahila Congress. The pertinent question is: Didn't Tiwari know why NRC was done before making the remark?
A little about NRC and the process
The NRC was formed in 1951 to enumerate Indian citizens living in Assam. It was done to keep a check on illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. In 2013, the Supreme Court ordered that the list should be updated and the procedure started in 2015. After four years, the final list was released earlier today and over 19 lakh people out of 3.3 crore applicants were excluded.
Tiwari talked about implementing NRC in Delhi
With his comments, Tiwari has shown he knows little about NRC. The process wasn't instant, and it involved some sections of the Constitution too. Had he known this, he wouldn't have said, "The situation in Delhi is becoming so dangerous that it's necessary to have NRC. Illegal immigrants who have settled here are the most dangerous... we will implement NRC when the time comes."
Before Delhi elections, Tiwari mentioned NRC. The connection is obvious
Tiwari's announcement comes at a time when Delhi is gearing up for elections next year. In all probability, he was hinting towards inhabitants of slums, who are seen as one of the core vote banks of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Reacting on his statement, a wing of Congress reminded that Tiwari himself is a "migrant" in Delhi.
"Irony wants a change of name"
Earlier, Himanta Biswa Sarma dismissed NRC in current form
While Tiwari talked about NRC-esque process in Delhi, his party senior showed little confidence in the process which reached its climax today. Himanta Biswa Sarma, BJP's brain in the northeast, said he lost hope in present NRC after the draft was released. "When so many genuine Indians are out, then how can you claim that this document is a red-letter for the Assamese society," he said.
