NRC issue: TMC MPs stopped at Assam’s Silchar airport, allegedly beaten up 

A Trinamool Congress delegation which reached Silchar on Thursday to assess the situation in Assam in the wake of the publication of the complete draft of the NRC was stopped at the airport, official sources said. TMC MP Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, who is a member of the delegation, said that the police stopped them at the airport on their arrival saying their visit might create trouble.

The TMC delegation including six MPs were kept in the VIP lounge of Kumbhigram airport here in Cachar district under Barak Valley region, the sources said. There were reports that TMC leaders Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and Mamata Thakur were beaten up by the police:

The Cachar district administration last night issued prohibitory order under Section 144 of the CrPC and banned entry of any person not involved with the NRC process in the district.

The TMC team went there at the instruction of party supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Banerjee has been accusing the BJP-led central government of resorting to "vote-bank politics" on the NRC issue and saying that "Indian citizens have become refugees" in their own land.

Meanwhile, TMC members, led by senior leader Saugata Ray, protested the detention of four of his party MPs at the Silchar airport in Assam on Thursday and demanded a response from the government on it in the Lok Sabha.

"Assam Police has detained them at Silchar Airport. They are interferring with the free movement of people. This is a breach of privilege," Ray said, adding "we want government response on this".

Ray raised the issue when the House was discussing the Constitution (123rd Amendment) Bill 2017 to provide for setting up of a National Commission for Backward Classes.

Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai said he would convey his demand to Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

Names of over 40 lakh people in Assam do not figure in the draft NRC, which is being prepared to identify illegal migrants in the state.

The second draft of the NRC published earlier this week has led to protests in the state and stalled Rajya Sabha proceedings for 3 days.

With PTI inputs