BJP parliamentarian Tejasvi Surya asked the centre to implement NRC in Karnataka

Highlights Jay Panda praised Tejasvi Surya for seeking a citizens' list in Karnataka

Said he was an "impressive young man making waves in the Parliament"

Centre updating citizens' list in Assam to account for illegal migration

A tweet by BJP spokesperson Baijayant Jay Panda praising his younger colleague from Karnataka, Tejasvi Surya, for seeking a citizens' list similar to the one being prepared in BJP-ruled Assam, received a glowing acknowledgement from the 28-year-old leader from Bengaluru South.

The BJP's youngest parliamentarian, Tejasvi Surya, had on Wednesday asked the centre to run the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in Karnataka, where he said illegal immigrants posed a threat to the state. "A terror module that operates from Bangladesh was busted in Bengaluru. I call upon the centre to extend NRC to Karnataka and Bengaluru to weed out Bangladeshis who have come here illegally," said Tejasvi Surya in the Lok Sabha.

That comment was praised by Jay Panda, who parted ways with Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's BJD in May last year.

"This impressive yng man is making the right sort of waves in Parliament. I believe NRC is needed for Odisha as well. It has seen a huge influx of illegal immigrants, esp in the coastal districts. In my time in Parlmt i had sought (& got) coast guard coverage, but more needed now," Jay Panda tweeted, along with a new clip where the Tejasvi Surya is seen speaking on the citizens' list.

Tejasvi Surya replied: "Sir, it means a lot that you put out this tweet. Have been ardent follower of your parliamentary work from many years now. After Sardar Patel, India is now having great Home Minister in Sri Amit Shah Ji. I am sure he will do everything to protect our country's sovereign interests."

Sir, it means a lot that you put out this tweet. Have been ardent follower of your parliamentary work from many years now



After Sardar Patel, India is now having great Home Minister in Sri @AmitShah Ji. I am sure he will do everything to protect our country's sovereign interests https://t.co/ww8ohwoWoP — Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) July 11, 2019

The Assam citizens' list is being updated for the first time since 1951 to account for illegal migration into Assam from neighbouring Bangladesh. The excluded people will have the chance to file their claims at the designated NRC help centres.

The centre had extended the deadline to complete the ongoing exercise in Assam by one more month to July 30. The process had been extended in December last year by six months to June 30.

The Assam citizens' list is being updated for the first time since 1951 to account for illegal migration into Assam from neighbouring Bangladesh

Over 40 lakh people were not named in the draft citizens' list published on July 30 last year, creating a huge controversy. Lakhs of them have applied for re-verification. The draft list included the names of 2.9 crore people out of the total 3.29 crore applications.

Mohammad Sanaulla, a retired Indian Army soldier, was declared an illegal immigrant by a tribunal and sent to a detention centre in Assam last month, before he was given bail by the Gauhati High Court.

In another case of mistaken identity, which the Assam Police accepted, 59-year-old Madhubala Mondal was released last month after being held in detention for three years ago. In 2016, the Assam Police branded her a "foreigner" and arrested her; they were really looking for Madhumala Das, who lived in the same village but died at least 20 years ago.