AGARTALA, Aug 10 (TIWN): When Assam-NRC is turning heavy upon the BJP Govt at Centre, Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday during his visit in Tripura raised doubt whether Assam can make a perfect NRC or not, assuring that the 40 lakh people’s number will be drastically down and maximum will be considered as Indians at Assam. Himanta Biswa Sarma also made it clear that NRC is a long-long process, which can’t have an immediate solution.Replying media questions on NRC in Tripura, Sarma said, “It will take vast time to complete Assam NRC and perhaps Assam can produce a error free NRC first and set an example. Then only other states will decide whether NRC is good for the state or not".

"Let first we get a perfect NRC from Assam, for which few hundred crores were spent. Now it is just the draft. After draft, claims & Objections will be done then it will be final and then it will go to foreigners tribunals, then High Court, Supreme Court and all these processes have been left in Assam”. 

“NRC in Assam is in just in a draft position. In our NRC, names of the many people are not there. So, going with the number it has gained a lot of attention, but the numbers will be drastically changed. So let first Assam produce a perfect and correct NRC. Then people should try to replicate or not replicate”.

“NRC in Assam just one stage is completed and on the basis of that people should not come into the conclusion but yes NRC 1951 is a nation-wide document and every country will have a document”, Sarma added.

Being asked by media, what about being implementation in Tripura, Himanta said, “Why should we talk only about Tripura ? Perhaps Assam can say proudly that here is a perfect NRC and then many State Govts can go, see and look into the NRC. Afterall we have spent few hundred crores in preparing NRC”.

“It is not about ruling out and ruling in Tripura, but at Assam we have completed 40 % of the milestone. IPFT today may be happy with the NRC but after the final graph they may be unhappy. So, let us not jump into the conclusion, because it is just in an initial stage at there”.

When media sought clarification in BJP’s double-standard in NRC in case of West Bengal and Tripura, HimantaBiswaSarma said, “Going through the demography of Tripura, I do not think there is a huge requirement of NRC, but at Assam it was done according to the Assam NRC. Assam NRC has been changed…….so that is a different issue, but the reason for IPFT asking it, I think there must be something in their mind.

Earlier, Tripura CM Biplab Deb also denied NRC in Tripura.

Noteworthy, the people in Assam who were not listed in NRC list have appealed in Supreme Court for their voting rights.