Governments have the right to know about foreigners living illegally in their area, says governor (File)
Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi today said that every state must have an National Register of Citizens (NRC) which should be updated regularly as it would be effective in dealing with issues related to the country's internal security.
The NRC should not be just for Assam as it is now, but for every state in the country, Mr Mukhi told PTI in an interview Guwahati.
His remarks come amid a raging debate on Assam's National Register of Citizens after the final draft list of the exercise left out over 40 lakh people.
The publication of the final draft of the NRC on July 30 was an "historic event", he said and assured all Assamese people that not a single Indian's name would be excluded in the final register.
"I feel that every state in the country must have an NRC of its own. Once it is prepared by all the states, it should be updated every ten years after the census report is published.
"If this can be done, then the internal security of the country will be perfect," he said.
Elaborating, he said, "The central government and all the state governments have the right to know who are the foreigners living illegally in their area."
The final draft of the NRC had been compiled through a transparent process without bringing any caste or religion into it. "It is an Indians versus foreigners issue and the NRC in Assam is as per the Assam Accord," the Governor categorically stated.
He stressed that "not a single Indian in Assam will be missed" in the final NRC. "They will be certainly in the list".
"Those who have been left out need not worry. They shall be given full opportunity to prove their citizenship," Mr Mukhi said.
The process is already in place where people will be told why their names have not been included in the draft NRC, he said.
People whose names did not figure in the final draft will be issued a specific proforma to claim their citizenship, and about a month's time from August 30 to September 28 has been given to them to reclaim their names with presentation of proper documents.
"Ample chances are being provided for claims and objections and people whose names are not there in the list should avail it," he added.
The governor congratulated the officials of Registrar General of India and employees of the state government who are involved in this "gigantic task" of updating the NRC.
He also thanked the Supreme Court, which is monitoring the updation, for making the final draft of the NRC possible.