Assam Congress president and Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora on Wednesday said his party supported the National Register of Citizens (NRC) update but claimed the way in which it was prepared was wrong.

Bora told reporters here that they were ready to provide legal support to underprivileged people who have been excluded from the NRC.

Asked about former chief minister and veteran Congress leader Tarun Gogoi’s comment that the “NRC will turn into waste paper”, Bora said Gogoi actually wanted to say that the NRC was full of errors and the names of most genuine Indians have been dropped. Pointed out that Tripura Congress chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya Deb Burman had to resign after advocating for NRC in his state, Bora said he had resigned for some personal reason.

Bora attacked health and family welfare minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for allegedly commenting that detention camps are being constructed for Muslims. Bora demanded Sarma should be arrested and said he cannot pass a comment which goes against the concept of secularism enshrined in the Constitution.

He said the Congress opposes the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill because it was being pushed for “communal reasons”. He said the people facing religious persecution have to produce certificates, which was very difficult, because Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan have already denied the charge. He said they will support the bill if it was amended to drop the “communal” tone.

Bora also attacked the BJP leaders who had earlier said the NRC was being prepared scientifically and technically but after its publication saying it was full of errors. He alleged the BJP was playing a political game with the NRC. He said the NRC had created fear and panic among the people.

Bora ruled out an alliance with the AIUDF for the Assembly bypolls on October 21 and said they hoped to win all the four seats. “Total failure and false promises of the BJP will be the main plank for the bypolls,” he said.

He addressed two public meetings here.

Bora, along with other party leaders and advocates, are visiting different places as part of Assam Yatra in connection with the NRC.