BJP national general secretary and the West Bengal observer Kailash Vijayvargiya today criticized chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her remarks on the updating of the National Register of Citizens in Assam.

Issuing a statement, Mr Vijayvargiya said Miss Banerjee had insulted the Constitution and the Supreme Court with her remarks on the NRC in Assam. Her comment was part of her “sinister political motives”, he said.

“The NRC is being updated in Assam after consultation with all stakeholders, communities, political parties and outfits. Such comments are not only an insult to the Constitution and Supreme Court but also against the spirit of the federal structure of our country,” Vijayvergiya said.

During a public meeting at Ahmedpur on Thursday, Miss banerjee had accused the BJP-led Central government of “hatching a conspiracy” to drive out Bengalis from Assam by excluding their names from the first draft of the NRC, published on the midnight of 31 December.

Mr Vijayvargiya accused Miss Banerjee-led Trinamul Congress of sponsoring cross-border infiltration into the state just to reap “political benefits” out of it.

The NRC of 1951 is being updated in Assam ~ now ruled by its first-ever BJP government ~ under the supervision of the Supreme Court to identify original residents of the state in order to check illegal immigration.

Referring to Miss Banerjee’s continuous protests against various policies of the Narendra Modi government, BJP’s national secretary urged her not to interfere in matters related to other states.
“The Assam government is competent enough to protect its citizens. Bengal CM should concentrate on her own state and stop playing politics on each and every issue,” he said.

The Assam police had on Thursday filed a case against Miss Banerjee on complaints over her claim that the Centre plotted conspiracy to drive Bengalis out of Assam with the state’s NRC that is being updated.

Trinamul secretary general Partha Chatterjee, however, said police cases would not stop the Trinamul supremo from fighting for the cause of the Bengalis. “We are aware of old tricks being played to drive out Bengalis from Assam. If Bengalis face any trouble there then our party will not be a mute spectator,” he said.

The BJP accused Miss Mamata of trying to make an “issue out of an non-issue,” to reap political dividends. The BJP-led government in Assam had condemned chief minister Banerjee’s statement, saying it was “derogatory, insulting to the people of Assam and against the Constitution as well as the spirit of the Supreme Court.