Assam citizens tensed as NRC to publish its draft on August 31.
Last year’s publication declared that 10% of the Assamese people are not registered citizens.
The NRC (National Register of Citizens) report of Assam is to be issued tomorrow on Saturday while lakhs of households across Assam are on edge a day before the publication of the hugely unsure NRC that will determine real Indian citizens. The people of Assam are excited and also nervous as their citizenship is at stake.
Anger, confusion and disappointment prevailed in over 2,500 National Register of Citizens Nagrik Seva Kendras (NSKs) in Assam on Friday as people who have been excluded from the list made a beeline to collect the forms on the first day for filing the claims and seeking corrections to the details in the final NRC draft, but were asked to come back on another day.
“They advertised that the forms will be given out today (Friday),” said Ashish Das, an executive with a pharma company, pointing to a poster on the NRC office’s wall providing the schedule for getting the forms for filing claims, objections, corrections and queries.
Current Situations in Assam
Among criticism from political parties over so-called faulty addition and rejection, the NRC will be in public domain on Saturday, and state authorities have secured banned orders in vulnerable areas, including in Guwahati, under section 144 CrPC to enforce public order.
This has been done to ensure the normal functioning of offices, movement of public and traffic flow in Assam, officials said.
Section 144 CrPC prohibits assembly of more than five persons, any agitation, demonstration or procession inciting communal violence, carrying of firearms, ammunition, explosive substances or weapons in public places or vehicles, as well as use of loud speakers.
What the CM has to say.
Ahead of the publication of final NRC, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday asked people not to panic and said the state government will take all possible steps to help genuine Indians prove their citizenship and provide legal assistance. Sonowal also said exclusion of anyone’s name from the final list of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be published on Saturday, does not mean that he or she has become a foreigner as such a decision can be taken only by a Foreigners Tribunal after following proper legal process. “No one should be worried. No one should panic. Government is here to take care of everyone. Even those who will be excluded from final list will get enough opportunity to prove their Indian citizenship,” he told PTI in an interview.
