The Assam government’s recent decision to link the National Register of Citizens (NRC) with the Aadhaar card application process has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, with Congress and Trinamool Congress (TMC) accusing the state of becoming a “banana republic” under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In an announcement made on Wednesday, the Assam government revealed that Aadhaar applications would be rejected if the applicant or their family members had not applied for inclusion in the NRC.
Sarma justified the move as a necessary step to address concerns over illegal immigration, particularly from Bangladesh.
Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, Gaurav Gogoi, took to social media to highlight the issue of “fake beneficiaries” in the state.
He shared government data alleging that significant amounts of public funds had been misused, particularly in the implementation of the PM Kisan scheme.
Gogoi further accused the Assam government of siphoning off public money, claiming it was funneled into the hands of BJP members despite residents paying various taxes like GST and cess.
Sushmita Dev, TMC Rajya Sabha MP from Assam, raised legal concerns over the decision, pointing out that the NRC has not yet been officially notified by the Registrar General of India, questioning the legitimacy of using it as a condition for obtaining Aadhaar.
“Non-citizens in India are eligible for Aadhaar if they have lived in the country for 182 days in the preceding 12 months,” Dev stated on social media, adding, “Unless someone is officially declared an illegal migrant, denying them Aadhaar is unjust.”
She criticized the move, calling Assam a “banana republic” under the leadership of Sarma and the BJP.
Although the Assam government has not formally declared the NRC as a requirement for Aadhaar, its new policy essentially makes it a pre-condition for anyone applying for the unique identification card.
According to the recently approved Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), the state government will verify documents submitted by applicants and forward them to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) within 45 days.
The NRC, finalized on August 31, 2019, excluded over 19 lakh individuals, while 3.11 crore names were included from a total of 3.3 crore applicants.
Despite its release, the document has not been formally notified by the Registrar General of India, meaning it currently lacks official validity.
