Citizenship list in Indian state leaves out almost 2 million

NEW DELHI (AP) — Almost 2 million people have been left out from the final citizenship list in the eastern Indian state of Assam.

The list, known as the National Register of Citizens, intends to identify legal residents and weed out illegal immigrants from the state, which borders Bangladesh.

A draft citizenship list that was published last year excluded more than 4 million people.

Backed by the Hindu nationalist-led government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, critics have viewed the exercise as an attempt to deport millions of minority Muslims, many of whom have entered India from Bangladesh.

The final publication of the citizenship list has stoked fear of loss of citizenship and long periods of detention.