Naresh Agarwal calls for implementation of NRC in other states

New Delhi, July 31: Amid heated debate over NRC exercise in Assam, BJP leader Naresh Agarwal said on Tuesday that it should be extended to all states in the country, as illegal Bangaldeshi migrants are living in various parts of the country.

Names of over 4 million people in Assam were excluded from the draft NRC list, prepared following a long-drawn process to identify illegal Bangladeshis living in the state.

"National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a matter of national security. There are states also such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and others where like Assam illegal Bangladeshi immigrants are staying," Agarwal said.

He said the ongoing NRC exercise should also be extended to other states. Agarwal, who recently switched over to the BJP from the SP, made these remarks on a day which witnessed slugfest between the saffron party and opposition parties mainly the TMC.

The BJP was led by its chief Amit Shah who said that the NRC will be implemented "to the last full stop" as his party stands for national security and Indians' rights. Shah also asked opposition parties to take a clear stand on the issue and not indulge in vote bank politics.

While TMC leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the NRC in Assam was done with a "political motive" to divide people and warned that it would lead to bloodbath and a civil war in the country.

PTI