New Delhi, Sep. 2 (IANS): Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister and Congress Assam in-charge Harish Rawat on Monday met party interim President Sonia Gandhi and apprised her of the situation in the state following the release of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in which over 19 lakh citizens have been excluded.
This was Rawat's second meeting with Sonia in the last three days, following the release of the NRC list.
According to party leaders, the meeting of Rawat with Sonia Gandhi lasted for over one hour.
Speaking to reporters, Rawat said, "I have apprised Soniaji of the present situation in Assam after the NRC list was released. I also told her that the party workers will keep on helping the people whose names have been excluded from the NRC list."
He said that he has also gathered the first hand account of many people whose names have been excluded in the NRC list, the reactions of people from the places where we felt that most of the people have been affected.
Rawat said he has apprised Sonia Gandhi also about the stand taken by different political parties on the issue.
"Congress is still on its stand that every real citizen must be part of the NRC. Citizenship is a right and this must remain," he said, adding, "We will give all help to those whose names have been excluded from the list."
The citizens' registry was released online around 10 a.m. on Saturday, ending six years of speculation over the exercise that identifies illegal foreigners living in Assam in which over 19 lakh people have been excluded from the NRC final list, which has named 3.1 crore people as Indian citizens.
The NRC has immense significance for the people of Assam as the state witnessed a six-year-long movement between 1979 and 1985 seeking detection and deportation of illegal Bangladeshis.
The NRC updation process was started in the state on the orders of the Supreme Court in 2013. It is being carried out by the Registrar General of India and is being monitored by the apex court.
On Saturday, Rawat had met Sonia Gandhi at her residence. After Rawat, former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and party MP Gaurav Gogoi also met Sonia Gandhi over the issue.
