New Delhi: People residing in Assam who have not been included in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) have started moving to a safe house. The intelligence bureau has warned that people whose names are not in the NRC are spilling over to Bengal and Mizoram.

According to sources, since the government of Bengal is sympathetic over the NRC issue, those who have been excluded from the list are considering the state especially as a safe house. 

Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee attacked the BJP on Tuesday and said that the NRC will not be allowed in the state. “We will not allow the NRC exercise in Bengal. They (BJP leaders) are challenging us. If we are challenged, we will give them a fitting reply,” she said.

“Most of them have come to India almost 15-20 years back. As the Bengal government is sympathetic towards people who are not in the list, they have started moving to places in Bengal considering it a safe house. We have received information that many groups have moved to Malda, Balurghat, Jangipur and other areas which are close to international border. Also people who are not in the list are also moving to Tripura and Mizoram,” a senior government official said. Some people may also be moving to Delhi-NCR as many Bangladeshis reside here.

According to a local intelligence report, Bengal may also be providing those people basic amenities. 

The draft NRC was published on 30 July and Assam is currently undergoing a revision under the supervision of the Supreme Court. According to the draft, around 40 lakh people found their names excluded from the list. The government has, however, assured that these 40 lakh people will get multiple chances to prove their identity.

Those excluded from the NRC list can file claims and objections from Thursday. Once the process is completed, those who still not able to prove their identities will be tagged as 'foreigners' and sent to detention centres.