WB: Mamata's TMC to hold protest against NRC, 'divisive politics of BJP'

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday would lead a protest march against the final list of National Register of Citizens.

Over 19 lakh citizens were not included in the final NRC. A total of 3,30,27,661 people had applied to be included in the NRC. Of them, 3,11,21,004 have been included in the document and 19,06,657 excluded, a statement from the NRC State Coordinator's office had said.

Calling the updated list a 'fiasco', Banerjee had earlier said, "My heart goes out to all those, especially the large number of Bengali speaking brothers and sisters, who are made to suffer because of this botched-up process."

On Tuesday, Union Minister Smriti Irani slammed Mamata and said that the BJP-led government at the Centre was committed to protecting the rights of each and every citizen of the country. The illegal infiltrators will be dealt with as per law, she asserted.

Banerjee has been a vocal critic of the NRC and has repeatedly questioned the Narendra Modi government's motive behind the move. The West Bengal government also recently passed a resolution in the Assembly, sending out a strong message to the BJP that her party would oppose it.