The Assam Congress seems to be a divided house over the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) published on August 31.

Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday said it is the people of Assam, not leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, who will decide whether his stand on the final NRC is correct or not.

Gogoi was unhappy with Saikia for describing his opinion that the final NRC is faulty and will be a waste paper if not corrected, as “personal”.

Saikia and Barpeta Congress MP Abdul Khaleque have taken a stand in support of the final NRC while Gogoi has not only described it as faulty but also written to Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi calling for a review.

Barpeta Congress MP Abdul Khaleque Telegraph picture

The Supreme Court has been monitoring the update of the NRC in Assam.

“It is the people of Assam who will decide whether I am right or not. I am not here to be judged by Debabrata,” Gogoi said when reporters asked him whether his views on the NRC were his party’s or personal as stated by Saikia.

After publication of the final NRC on August 31, Gogoi said his prediction that the NRC would be a waste paper had proved true. However, Saikia said, “It is his (Gogoi’s) personal comment. I can’t say why he has described the NRC as a waste paper.” Saikia appealed to the people to accept the final NRC.

Khaleque said opposing the NRC was tantamount to contempt of the court. “Opposition to the final NRC, irrespective of party affiliation, is tantamount to contempt of court. NRC has been prepared following a process. There is no meaning in someone uttering words like waste paper after publication of the final NRC.”

Gogoi was more aggressive on Saikia on Monday. When mediapersons sought his reaction on Saikia’s statement, Gogoi had said, “What right does he have to say like that? He is not the PCC president. If my opinion is personal, his opinion is also personal.”

On Tuesday, Gogoi said the NRC did not fulfil its objective of identifying foreigners. “Rather, it has created problems. Names of lakhs of Indian people have been left out. I want it to be corrected. Even RSS has not accepted it.”