If no India-wide NRC, Assam will go to SC for revised list: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Sarma also said the detention centres in the state are due to a Gauhati HC order, and not because of any decision taken by the Centre. His remarks come in the wake of statements made by PM Modi on Sunday, that were a departure from the BJP's stand on the NRC.

Himanta Biswa Sarma, National Register of Citizens, NRC in Assam, PM Modi on NRC, PM Modi delhi rally, Supreme Court, detention centres assam, indian express

Sarma said a Government of Assam petition and several other pleas seeking re-verification of citizens are already pending in the Supreme Court. (File)

Assam finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma Monday said that if a nation-wide NRC is not implemented, the government of Assam would take the Supreme Court route to seek revision of the current National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state.

Speaking at a press conference in Guwahati, Sarma said a Government of Assam petition and several other pleas seeking re-verification of citizens are already pending in the Supreme Court.

The Assam minister added that the detention centres in the state are due to a Gauhati HC order, and not because of any decision taken by the Centre.

Story continues below this ad

Sarma’s remarks come in the wake of statements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Delhi rally Sunday, that were a departure from the BJP’s stand on the NRC.

While in November, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said in Parliament that a fresh NRC exercise would be carried out in Assam along with in the rest of India, the PM said there were no plans for an immediate countrywide NRC.

“Pehle yeh to dekh lijiye, NRC pe kuch hua bhi kya? Jhooth chalayi jaa rahe hai. Meri sarkar aane ke baad, 2014 se aaj tak, main yeh sachh 130 crore logon ke liye kehna chahata hu, kahi par bhi NRC shabd par koi charcha nahi huyi hai. Koi baat nahin huyi hai (First, see if anything has happened on NRC. Lies are being spread. From the time my government came in 2014 till today, I want to tell this truth to 130 crore people of this country, that there has been no discussion on NRC. No talk at all),” Modi said in Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan.

The PM also asserted that there were no detention centres in the country. “Koi desh ke musalmanon ko na detention centre mein bheja ja raha hai, na Hindustan main koi detention centre hai. Yeh safed jhooth hain, yeh badiraade vaala khel hai, ye naapaak khel hai (No one is sending Muslims of this country to detention centres, nor is there any detention centre in India. This is a clear lie, it is a game with wrong intentions, a nefarious game),” he said.

Story continues below this ad

The Indian Express has previously reported on a detention centre being built in Assam to house ‘illegal foreigners’. In September, The Indian Express travelled to Matia in Goalpara district, where the new detention camp is being built.
Assam currently has six detention centres to hold ‘illegal foreigners’, but these are all located inside jails.

(with inputs from Abhishek Saha)