"No one should be worried. No one should panic. We are here for you," the chief minister assured (File)

Ahead of the publication of final National Register of Citizens or NRC, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal asked people today not to panic and said the state government will take all possible steps to help genuine Indians prove their citizenship and provide legal assistance.

Mr Sonowal also said exclusion of anyone's name from the final list of the National Register of Citizens or NRC to be published tomorrow, does not mean that he or she has become a foreigner as such a decision can be taken only by a Foreigners Tribunal after following proper legal process.

"No one should be worried. No one should panic. Government is here to take care of everyone. Even those who will be excluded from final list will get enough opportunity to prove their Indian citizenship," he told news agency Press Trust of India in an interview.

When the draft NRC was published on July 30 last year, there was a huge controversy over the exclusion of 40.7 lakh people from it.

