NRC row: Chhattisgarh CM Raman Singh calls for deportation of illegal immigrants

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Sunday called for the deportation of all those people whose names failed to appear in the National Register for Citizens (NRC) draft.

The chief minister's comment came after former congress Member of Parliament (MP), Charan Das Mahant said India has always welcomed those who sought shelter in the country.

"You want to make India a Dharamshala? Someone forcibly comes and uses resources, this is unacceptable. They will have to go back. Can't understand in what direction the Congress wants to take the nation," the chief minister said here while addressing the media.

Earlier in the day, Mahant said "Whether it was during the time of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi or before that, India has always given shelter to all. We have never sent them back. This is what I feel. While some come as guests others seek shelter as poor; we should keep them and look after their safety and security."

The Opposition parties, including, the Congress have been vociferous against the draft. Congress president Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to criticise the draft, and dubbed the execution of the critical and highly sensitive exercise as tardy.

The NRC draft, which was released on July 30, had left out nearly 40 lakh people in Assam while incorporating names of 2.89 crore people out of 3.29 crore applicants.

The first draft was published on December 31, 2017, and names of 1.9 crores of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated. The NRC draft features the names, addresses and photographs of all Indian citizens, who have been residing in the northeastern state before March 25, 1971.

(ANI)