In a major setback to the Trinamool Congress, its Assam chief Dwipen Pathak on Thursday resigned from his post amid continuous protests by the party against the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) in the state which was published earlier this week. Putting aside the party's claims that the NRC aims to drive away the Bengali-speaking and Biharis and turn them into refugees, Pathak told reporters, "TMC's claims that NRC aims to throw away the Bengalis out of Assam is something I do not agree with. The NRC has dropped several names but the citizens can re-appeal." #WATCH: Dwipen Pathak after resigning from Assam TMC Chief's post says, "What Mamata Banerjee said about NRC, that it has been brought in Assam to drive out Bengalis, I don't agree with that. It might create disturbance here & the blame would be on me as a pres, so I've resigned" pic.twitter.com/JnxKy2gV0i — ANI (@ANI) August 2, 2018 Expressing dissatisfaction over the TMC's protests against the Centre and Assam government's stand on the NRC draft, Pathak said doing so could disrupt the law and order situation in the state. "There is no use of creating noise over it. This might affect the law and order in Assam and it may also give rise to conflicts between the Assamese and Bengalis in Assam. The blame would then be put on me as the state unit's party chief. This is why I have decided to resign. I will always speak in favour of Assam," he told reporters. Read | TMC delegation detained at Silchar Airport, Mamata Banerjee calls it BJP’s frustration However, TMC claimed that this is not the first time that Pathak resigned. "The Assam unit “President” has 'resigned' 3 or 4 times earlier. The unit in that state was being reconstituted. This is not the time to play politics. People first. Humanity first," the party tweeted. The Assam unit “President” has 'resigned' 3 or 4 times earlier. The unit in that State was being reconstituted. This is not the time to play politics. People first. Humanity first. — AITC (@AITCofficial) August 2, 2018 TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee has been attacking the Centre over the exclusion of forty lakh people from the draft. While accusing the “ruling party” of discrimination and “questioning the Indianness of Indians” who do not support it, Mamata had earlier warned that this would lead to “a civil war, a bloodbath”. Read | Assam NRC: BJP is the real infiltrator, they’re interfering in everything, says Mamata Banerjee Earlier in the day, she lashed out at the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre and the Assam government after a delegation of TMC MPs were detained and allegedly manhandled at Silchar Airport by Assam Police. The delegation was on a two-day visit to the state where they were scheduled to participate in a convention against the National Register of Citizenship (NRC) which was released on Monday. The TMC head honcho said, “A parliamentary delegation went to meet the people (in Assam). They were not allowed outside the airport. Why is the Assam government behaving like this, along with the Centre? This is a political vendetta. The BJP only has muscle power.” Upping the ante against the BJP-led government at the Centre, Mamata said, “I think this is the beginning of their end. They are frustrated. That is why they are acting like a bunch of hooligans.”
