Will never allow NRC in West Bengal: TMC

KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress on Friday rebuffed BJP president Amit Shah's claim to replicate the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in

West Bengal

if the saffron party returns to power at the Centre.


"We will never allow any NRC exercise in Bengal. They (BJP) want to divide the people on religious and communal lines. We will never allow that to happen," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee said.

Chatterjee's comments come after Shah, at a rally in Alipurduar, said: "We will also bring in NRC in Bengal and throw out all infiltrators. We will also ensure that the Hindu refugees are not touched. They are very much a part of our country."

The NRC is a document containing names of all genuine Indian citizens in Assam. It, however, became a hugely contentious issue after the complete draft, released last year, omitted the names of lakhs of people who have been residing in the state for several decades.

Chatterjee challenged Shah to win a single seat in the state in the general election. "We challenge the BJP to win even a single seat in Bengal. I can assure you all that the BJP will neither win a seat in Bengal, nor return to power at the Centre... The people of this country and Bengal have made up their minds to oust (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi," he said.

The TMC leader mocked the BJP for allegedly knocking at every door with the proposal to the people of becoming its candidate in the state. "Those who don't have proper candidates for contesting the polls are dreaming of capturing the seat of power in Bengal," he added.