NRC failed due to improper implementation: Tarun Gogoi

NEW DELHI: The very purpose of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) has failed because of its "improper implementation" and politicisation of the issue by the BJP-led government, senior Congress leader and former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi said on Sunday.

Gogoi pointed out that since the purpose of the NRC was to identify foreigners, it should have been implemented not just in Assam, but across the country. "But I can tell you the BJP government cannot implement it across the country. The very purpose of NRC has failed because of improper implementation by the government," Gogoi said at an interaction with journalists organised by the Congress's research department.

The veteran Congress leader also accused the BJP of politicising NRC and creating confusion intentionally.

Claiming that BJP does not have a clear perspective on the issue, Gogoi said, "We had started pilot projects on NRC back in 2010 but after facing huge resentment and opposition from the people, we stopped it completely. We then held discussions on modalities of how the process can be taken forward."

NRC, which is unique to Assam, is being updated in the state by the Registrar General of India under the supervision of the Supreme Court. The process aims to identify "foreigners" who entered the country after the midnight of March 24, 1971. Around 40 lakh people have been excluded from the updated draft of the NRC which was published on July 30.