People wait to check their names on the final draft of the state's National Register of Citizens at an NRC Sev... Read More

NEW DELHI: The Opposition TMC today forced adjournment of proceedings in the Rajya Sabha till noon over the issue of non-inclusion of over 40 lakh people in Assam's National Register of Citizens .

Amid the uproar, Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu told members that home minister Rajnath Singh will come to the House after attending to his duties in the Lok Sabha and reply to the "sensitive and serious matter".

TMC leader Derek O'Brien wanted his notice under Rule 267, which calls for setting aside of the day's business to take up issue pressed, to be taken up.

TMC members, who had yesterday too led the protests that saw Rajya Sabha proceedings being adjourned without transacting any business, vociferously protested from the aisles.

As other members joined in, Naidu adjourned proceedings till noon

Before doing so Naidu pointed out that the home minister had on his request come to the House yesterday but could not make a statement.

Maintaining that the issue at hand had a historical background as it was rooted in the Assam Accord, he said today he has asked the home minister to be come to the House.

The home minister, he said, has agreed to do so once he finishes replying to questions in the Lok Sabha.

Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad asked if members would be given an opportunity to seek clarification after the home minister makes his statement.

Naidu replied in the affirmative.

Out of the 3.29 crore applicants, 2.89 crore have been found eligible for inclusion in the complete draft of NRC, that was released in Guwahati yesterday. This meant that the names of 40.07 lakh have been left out.

