NRC India’s internal issue
Quader says
The National Register of Citizens (NRC) in India’s Assam state is an internal issue of India, said Obaidul Quader, general secretary of the ruling Awami League, yesterday.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, made the statement at a press conference on contemporary issues at his secretariat office.
In the latest issue of the NRC, a list of genuine Indian citizens, around 19.07 lakh people were left out in India’s Assam state that made them illegal immigrants. Indian media claimed that most of the people who were excluded from the NRC were Bangla-speaking.
Asked if Bangladesh was ready to tackle any situation that may occur due to the NRC, Quader said, “We are observing [the situation] and staying alert.”
“Besides, there is no scope of making sweeping comments [in this regard] right now. There is a verification process in India and the people who were left out of the NRC still have the opportunity to file appeals with higher courts,” he added.
Responding to another question, he said, “There is a geopolitical issue here. But we are not for battle, we are for peace. We will solve any problem through discussion. We are ready to face any circumstance.”
On Saturday, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen also said the NRC was an internal issue of India and he did not think those excluded from the final list of Assam’s NRC were Bangladeshis.