The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) house meeting today witnessed an uproar with councillors debating over the panic that had gripped citizens over rumours of implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bengal, forcing them to rush to the KMC headquarters to obtain birth certificates. The Congress councillor, Prakash Upadhyay, today raised the NRC issue in the house meeting, claiming that for the past few days, citizens have been flocking to the KMC headquarters in large numbers to obtain their birth certificates.

He said: “The BJP’s claims to implement NRC here has created a panic among people who are running from pillar to post to obtain documents thinking they might be asked to leave the state when NRC is implemented. This is unfair. The mayor being the first citizen needs to assure people that no such thing will take place here and should take measures towards the same.”

In his reply, the mayor Firhad Hakim, who is also the state minister for municipal affairs, said: “It is apparent that panic is spreading all throughout the state and the country. The KMC is witnessing a surge in footfall of citizens who have been rushing to the KMC headquarters for collecting birth certificates. This one party, which is ruling from the Centre, is resorting to threats and intimidating Indian citizens. Names of about 19 lakh people in Assam were dropped from the NRC list and most of them speak Bengali. Around 13 lakh were, however, Bengali Hindus. Realising this, the BJP government is now perhaps slapping their foreheads in regret.”

“The Central home minister (Amit Shah) is ruling like Gabbar Singh, turning India into Ramgarh. The Central government is ensuring that Indians live in fear in their own birthplace. Many people have died in this state because of the NRC panic that is being spread by the BJP. The Prime Minister and the home minister are resorting to fear tactics. The duo is trying to divide the country and rule. Why should a citizen of India live in fear in their own country? In West Bengal, the chief minister Mamata Banerjee will ensure Bengal remains united. There is no need to panic. The Citizenship Amendment Bill is a farce and so is NRC. Both will be declared illegal. KMC councillors must also assure residents in their respective wards.”

Meanwhile, the BJP councillor, Bijoy Ojha, said “The Trinamul Congress, CPI-M and the Congress, are spreading rumours among citizens. Their fear is, if NRC is implemented in Bengal, they will lose their vote banks. In Assam, NRC was implemented on the orders of the Supreme Court and backed by the demands of the citizens of Assam. Our home minister, Amit Shah, during his visit to West Bengal, has already declared that no one needs to live in fear. “The Citizenship Amendment Bill, in fact, will help people whose names don’t feature in NRC list to obtain Indian citizenship. However, no infiltrators will be allowed in this country. They are not our guests that we should treat them with hospitality. Should we start allowing Rohingyas to live in this country too? Pakistan is a Muslim majority country and so is Bangladesh. If infiltrators from these countries begin to infiltrate India, will the majority in this country not feel threatened?”