Mamata Banerjee (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday asked Union home minister Rajnath Singh to clarify whether the Centre intends to carry out an exercise similar to NRC-Assam in her state.

Mamata Banerjee, who has accused the BJP-led central government of trying to divide the people with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in Assam for political gains, on Tuesday met Rajnath Singh at his residence and claimed she had submitted a list of 40 lakh people who had been left out of NRC in the final draft released yesterday.

"I came here to talk on NRC. Submitted a list of 40 lakh people who had been left out. I have told him that his leadership is claiming that next NRC would be in Bengal. Who has given them that authority?," Banerjee told reporters after meeting Singh.

Terming the decision of bringing in NRC as "disaster", the TMC chief has also urged the Union home minister to bring in amendments to end the problems being faced by the people in Assam.

Later, the home minister issued a statement stating that the draft NRC had been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Assam Accord and under the monitoring of the Supreme Court.

"I told her that the draft NRC had been published in accordance with the provisions of Assam Accord and as per decisions taken in a tripartite meeting on February 05, 2005 between the Centre, State Government of Assam and All Assam Students Union to update NRC, 1951," Singh said in the statement.

Singh had also added that he had told Banerjee that the NRC updation exercise was being carried out in a "totally fair, transparent, non discriminatory and legal manner".

Nobody will be harassed in this entire process and at every stage of the process, adequate opportunity of being heard will be given to all persons, he said.

The ruling BJP has rejected Banerjee's criticism, saying she saw illegal immigrants as a vote bank, while it was more concerned about the security of the country and rights of its citizen.

Addressing a press conference, BJP chief Amit Shah also condemned Banerjee for her warning that there could be civil war and bloodbath, saying the country was divided once in the name of civil war.

"She should clarify what kind of civil war she is talking about," he said.

Asked about a demand of West Bengal BJP leaders for an NRC in the state, Amit Shah said the NRC, which aims to identify illegal immigrants, is presently confined to Assam and the party will take a stand on such issues at an appropriate time.

