Maharashtra BJP MLA Raj Purohit on Wednesday suggested that the centre implement the National Registry for Citizens (NRC) across the country, particularly Mumbai where he said has a large number of Bangladeshis.

“I have written to District collector Mumbai, ACS Home, CP Mumbai, and State Election Commission to implement NRC and identify the Bangladeshis in Colaba & Mumbai,” Purohit said.

Earlier in the day, The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) demanded a count of “illegal” Bangladeshis residing in the city, who “cause a stress on the resources of Mumbai”.

"It has now been proved that over 40 lakh people (in Assam) are illegal infiltrators. (MNS chief) Raj Thackeray has been talking about this issue for several years," party leader Bala Nandgaonkar said in a statement.

"People from across the country settle down in Mumbai. It includes Bangladeshi infiltrators who come here illegally. These people not only cause a strain on the resources of the city, but also pose a grave danger to the law and order situation," the former MLA said.

In May this year, the Pune rural police detained 36 illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, who had been living in India for the past six months.

Earlier, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee met UPA chairman Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi at 10 Janpath in New Delhi.

Speaking after the meeting, she was quoted saying by ANI: “I am not BJP's servant to reply to any of their statements. I didn't say this (civil war remark), my concern is regarding the 40 lakh people whose names are not in the list (NRC). BJP is politically tensed because they know they won't come to power in 2019.”

In another statement to journalists she said the BJP was ‘politically nervous’. She said: “BJP is politically nervous. They know they won't come back to power in 2019. So, they are not speaking responsibly. We won't respond to abuse with abuse. It is not our culture. We believe in the politics of courtesy. In 2019 it will be collective leadership. First priority is to remove BJP. We will fight together. Whichever party is strong, will fight in respective states. We are strong in our State. We can fight on our own. “Amra sobai raja” is a song by Rabindranath Tagore. This is the spirit of democracy. Everybody is king. Everybody is equal.”