Mizoram Demands NRC

The local parties in Mizoram, except the Congress, are demanding the introduction of National Register of Citizens' (NRC) in the Christian-dominated state which shares a border with Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Inits manifesto of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) for the Assemblyelections in November last year, it had promised to initiate the exercise ofNRC in the state on the lines of Assam.

Itwas after the draft Assam NRC was published last year that the MNF pledge camein the wake of several non-governmental organizations in Mizoram demanding anNRC to detect illegal immigrants. The MNF is a constituent North EastDemocratic Alliance, a BJP-floated grouping of non-Congress parties.

TheNRC, which was first published in Assam in 1951 is being updated as per thedirections of the Supreme Court to segregate Indian citizens living in Assamfrom those who have illegally entered the state from Bangladesh after March 25,1971.

TheMizoram Assembly unanimously passed a bill on May 18 to create a register ofall households in the state.

MizoramChief Minister, Zoramthanga while introducing the Mizoram Maintenance ofHousehold Registers Bill, 2019 said that the bill was necessitated by theinflux of foreigners into Mizoram through its porous borders.

The bill's statement of objects and reasons signed by the chief minister reads as, "In many cases, the benefits of development and welfare programmes are found eaten away to a large extent by such foreigners."

Moreover,union Home Minister Amit Shah, while speaking on the NRC issue in theParliament on Tuesday last favoured such an exercise across the country.

Shahsaid that the government would deport illegal immigrants from every inch of thecountry's soil.