NRC verification after elections: Himanta Biswa Sarma

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has made it clear that the government will start verification of the NRC (National Register of Citizens) after the Assembly elections to free the State from 'modern Mughals', subject to permission from the Supreme Court of India.

The State government has made it clear many a time that it wants verification of the NRC, especially in the border districts. Since the NRC was updated under the supervision of the Supreme Court of India, the verification cannot be done without permission from the apex Court.

Sarma further said without mentioning the illegal Bangladeshis, "The NRC is replete with modern Mughals who have their roots widespread in the State. If we are to root them out, we need to verify the NRC. The NRC could have been a strong tool to drive out the modern Mughals from the State. However, former State NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela has spelt disaster for Assam, besides causing financial anomalies in the NRC update exercise. That part has been under the audit of the CAG (Comptroller and Auditor General). The Government wants a modern Mughal-free NRC.

"It's the Congress that brought the modern Mughals to Assam. The party didn't stop at that. They gave settlement to the modern Mughals in all rural and urban areas in the State. The situation in the State has come to such a pass now that the modern Mughals have started their invasions into our culture and civilization. Driving out the modern Mughals from Assam is a time-consuming battle."

The Minister said this while laying the "caisson foundation" of yet another bridge over the Brahmaputra at North Guwahati on Thursday.

The 8.30-km bridge to be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 2,600 crore has the target schedule of August 2023. Sarma said, "The bridge will be vital for the Northeast as it will boost economic growth of Assam and its adjoining States. This state-of-the-art bridge will reduce the travel time between Guwahati and North Guwahati to 10 minutes from the current 45-60 minutes. It will connect North Guwahati and Bharalumukh."

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