A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation led by Bengal Minister Firhad Hakim were detained at Silchar airport upon landing, for precautionary reasons. Sources have confirmed that section 144 was clamped down around the airport to restrict movement. The delegation wanted to meet representatives from the 40 lakh people whose names don’t find mention in the complete draft of National Register of Citizen (NRC).

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Six Member of Parliament (MPs) from TMC including Derek O’Brien today landed at Silchar with intent to meet the aggrieved. They landed at 1.50 pm on a Jet Airways flight from Delhi. However, all passengers were allowed to exit, save the six TMC MPs. Eyewitness account suggests that some agitated MPs also shouted at the security personnel deployed inside the airport. The main door of the Kumbhigram Airport was shut and all MPs were being requested to wait inside or go back. The Deputy inspector general (Southern range) himself was at the spot to pacify the leaders.

Meanwhile, O'Brien has called it a ‘modern-day emergency’ as Congress MP Sushmita Dev has complained to the Chief Secretary of Assam for what she calls ‘overreaction’. But BJP’s Dr Anirban Ganguly alleges that TMC delegation landed ‘with the intention of creating public disturbance’.

Ever since the complete draft of NRC is out, TMC has taken a very strong stand, something that JDU’s KC Tyagi calls ‘extremist view’. Mamata Banerjee has, in fact, warned of ‘civil war’ if the list is implemented by deporting 40 lakh people. BJP, on the other hand, has maintained it as a matter of national security that they won’t take lightly.