Congress MPs protesting in the well of the Rajya Sabha. (Photo: ANI)

NEW DELHI: The Rajya Sabha erupted in uproar on Tuesday after BJP MP Amit Shah said in the House that the Rajiv Gandhi-signed 1985 Assam Accord is in essence the same as Assam's National Register of Citizens (NRC), the final draft of which was released Monday.

Congress MPs rushed into the well of the house to protest, after Shah, also BJP president, said the Congress didn't have the courage to implement the NRC but the BJP did.

"Rajiv Gandhi signed the Assam Accord in 1985, which was similar to NRC. They did not have courage to implement it, we did," said Shah as Congress MPs erupted in ire.

Shah was referring to the NRC of 1951 being updated in accordance with the 2005 tripartite agreement among the state government, the Centre and the influential All Assam Students Union. The agreement was part of the process for implementing the 1985 Assam Accord. The updating of the NRC began then, in fits and starts, but soonstopped after violence broke out in several parts of the state.

It was then that the Congress, according to Shah, showed it lacked courage.

Pandemonium followed Shah's statement with House chairman Venkaiah Naidu having to shout to make himself heard.

"This is Rajya Sabha, House of Elders. The entire country is watching. Don't make a mockery of democracy," said Naidu.

Soon after the House was adjourned for a few minutes and when order still couldn't prevail, it was adjourned until Wednesday 11 am.

Before Shah rose to speak, Congress MP Ghulam Nabi Azad spoke in opposition to the NRC which has left out 40 lakh Assamese from the final draft citizenship list.

"Genuine Indians should not be sent out of the country. NRC should not be politicised and used as vote bank. It is a human rights issue, not a Hindu-Muslim issue," said Azad.

Earlier in the day, in the Lok Sabha, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) also spoke strongly against the NRC, saying the Centre seems to be more concerned about refugees abroad rather than those in India.

"External affairs ministry is conducting 'Operation Insaniyat' for Rohingyas in Bangladesh. There are 40,000 Rohingyas in India, will we show insaniyat (humanity) for only those who are in Bangladesh?" asked TMC MP Sugata Bose.

BJP MP Kiren Rijiju called Bose's statement "unfortunate".

"This is an unfortunate statement by him. India is probably the only country which has adopted such a soft approach to refugees. We also told Myanmar that we are ready to assist them in providing facilities to Rohingyas when they return" said Rijiju.

Home minister Rajnath Singh also sought to clarify that the Centre is doing all it can to stop further Rohingya infiltration. He said states too have the right to deport them.

"Border Security Force and Assam Rifles are deployed to stop further infiltration of Rohingyas. Have issued advisory to states to monitor those who have already come and keep them at one place and not let them spread. States also have right to deport them," said Rajnath.

Meanwhile, TMC, Aam Aadmi Party and Samajwadi Party MPs staged a protest in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue in Parliament over the NRC issue.

