The CPI(M) opposed the Union government’s decision to petition the Supreme Court for an extension of the July 31 deadline for the publication of the National Register of Citizens.
The Union and Assam governments have made the request, pressing for a 20% sample re-verification of the names in the districts bordering Bangladesh and a 10% sample re-verification in the other districts.
“The CPI(M) is opposed to this further round of verification. It will only lead to more harassment and continuation of the ordeal for lakhs of citizens who have already spent a large amount of time and resources on appearing for repeated hearings and submission of papers,” the party’s Polit Bureau said in a statement here.
“This sudden demand, on the eve of the deadline, appears motivated by the agenda of the BJP, which seeks to identify citizenship on the basis of religious affiliation,” the CPI(M) said.
The party asked whether the government would render justice, with a similar alacrity, to those who were wrongly excluded from the list. “What is going to happen to the millions who have been excluded from the NRC and what will be their status,” it asked.
The CPI(M) said the Supreme Court, which had initiated and supervised the exercise, should take responsibility for the errors. “At stake are the fundamental issues of Indian citizenship and the basic rights of citizens.”
On Wednesday, responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nitayanand Rai said the government wanted to ensure an error-free list.
