Non-Indians should be afraid of law: Rijiju
New Delhi, Aug 1: Making clear the government stance on the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC), Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said those who are not Indian citizens should be afraid of the law and system.
"People who have been left out must get their documents in place to prove their Indian citizenship. If somebody is not Indian, then that person should be scared of the system and the laws. If somebody is living illegally in this country, why should they be comfortable?" Rijiju said on the draft National Regster of Citizens which was released by the Assam government earlier this week.
The minister also criticised Opposition leaders such as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Congress President Rahul Gandhi and MIM's Asaduddin Owaisi, asking them to make their stand clear on illegal migrants.
"Why is the Opposition raising an issue? Why is there a need to spread fear psychosis among people? Everybody must cooperate in this case. This is an exercise in national interest. In this case, Mamata Banerjee's statements are very unbecoming of a chief minister," Rijiju said.
He said 'genuine Indians have nothing to fear' and expressed the hope that the NRC process would be completed before the 2019 elections.
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Two held for 'firing' at BJP leader's house in Bengal
Kolkata (PTI): A day before the counting of votes for the West Bengal assembly elections, two persons were arrested on Sunday for allegedly being involved in a firing incident outside the residence of a BJP leader in North 24 Parganas district, police said.
BJP leader Kundan Singh lodged a police complaint, alleging that a few gunmen fired at his house in the Noapara constituency around Saturday midnight.
Based on the CCTV footage, the two accused were apprehended, a senior officer said.
BJP's Noapara candidate Arjun Singh, in a post on social media, claimed that around 12.05 am, two armed miscreants arrived on a motorcycle at the residence of Kundan Singh, a BJP functionary and secretary of the Barrackpore organisational district, with an "intent to kill him".
According to the BJP leader, the accused are residents of Garulia and are known criminals.
Their names as offenders had been submitted to the Election Commission, he said.
The police officer did not specify whether the two arrested persons were the same individuals named by Arjun Singh.
According to the complaint, one round of firing took place outside Kundan Singh's house, triggering panic in the area.
The BJP candidate also questioned the role of the police, claiming that one of the accused had been detained by the police on the polling day but was later released in the evening.
The Noapara assembly seat went to the polls on April 29.
Several BJP leaders alleged that attempts were being made to create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the counting and weaken the organisation of the opposition parties.
The counting of votes will take place on May 4. Polling for the West Bengal assembly elections was held on April 23 and April 29.
The BJP urged the Election Commission to intervene immediately to ensure peaceful counting.
TMC candidate Somnath Shyam rubbished Arjun Singh’s allegation, claiming that the BJP nominee had orchestrated the firing incident to divert attention from imminent defeat.
“Arjun Singh knows all the gangsters in the Barrackpore belt. Everyone knows about his links with the underworld. Let the police investigate the incident,” Shyam said.
