Final Bell Rings for NRC List in Assam

• After a long-lasting battle, hue and cry, protest and particularly death of 855 people, Assam is going to experience its 'golden document' i.e NRC.
• Non-inclusion of a person's name in NRC does not amount to his or her being declared a foreigner: MHA
• Ahead of NRC's final list release, we have taken care of all the security arrangements. Superintendents of Police in all districts have sensitized in order to assure proper security arrangements," Kuladhar Saikia, DGP, Assam

MONALISA GOGOI writes from Guwahati

Guwahati, Aug 29, 2019: The most awaited moment for the people of Assam and the country is knocking its door. There are only 24 hours left for the final day for which 855 people had sacrificed their lives and after six years long anti-foreigner agitation the Assam Accord was signed. The final list of National Register Certificate (NRC) will be published on 31st August 2019.

Adequate security arrangements have been made in Assam ahead of the publication of the final list of the government's National Register of Citizens (NRC). 

The Assam State administration has deployed more than two hundred companies of Police and paramilitary forces to control any kind of untoward situation.

Earlier also, it was feared of some untoward incidents at the time when its draft list was published in the month of December 2017. But fortunately, no unlawful situation occurred at that time.

Security has been tightened in the whole of the state and Section 144 has been imposed in the capital city Guwahati.

Social media is also under strict supervision and any instigating message or comment by any users will not be tolerated, the state police have warned.

"Ahead of NRC's final list release, we have taken care of all the security arrangements. Police and other security forces have also been briefed about the arrangements. Superintendents of Police in all districts have sensitized police personnel in order to assure proper security arrangements," Kuladhar Saikia, Director General of Police (DGP), Assam told a news agency on Thursday.

"We hope that the citizens of Assam will support the legal process and I believe this entire process will be completed peacefully," Saikia added. 

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also urged the people to not believe in rumours related to the final publication of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam on August 31.

The ministry reiterated that non-inclusion of a person's name in NRC does not amount to his or her being declared a foreigner.

"Every individual left out from final NRC can appeal to Foreigners Tribunals (FTs), an increased number of which are being established," the spokesperson of Home Ministry had tweeted.

Posting guidelines for those who have been left out of the final list, the spokesperson said that time limit for filing appeals in FTs has been increased from 60 to 120 days.

NRC is a register containing names of Indian citizens, which was prepared for the only time in 1951. It is being updated for Assam as of now to weed out illegal immigrants. Last month, the Supreme Court had extended the deadline for the final publication of NRC from July 31 to August 31. It had rejected a plea to extend the NRC deadline for sample verification.

It is important to mention here that NRC has been prepared under the strict order of the Supreme Court.

The final list will be uploaded at its website and it will be also available at all the centers under NRC on 31st August.

The NRC has been prepared by verifying the documents of the inhabitants who has come to Assam on or before 25th March 1971 and it is treated as the cutoff date for all migrants irrespective of caste, creed, and religion.

The General Secretary of State Jamiyat Ulema, Maulana Fazlul Karim Qasimi has ensured all kinds of cooperation from their organization. “We are ready to extend any help but we demand a foreigner free NRC. That's all,” he said.

On the other hand, Akhil Gogoi, the Adviser of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samittee (KMSS) has said, “Fundamentalists both from Hindu as well as Muslim communities, are trying to create law and order situation in the state. They are using social media as their platform. But if we see any kind of untoward situation occurs after 31st August, then the Chief Minister will be responsible for those situations.”

Moreover, Akhil Gogoi appeals to their activist not to make any instigating comment at social media and to help and cooperate people, if they want any help from them.

It is important to mention here that there are 2500 Nagarik Sewa Kendra NSK in the whole state.

Meanwhile, Abhijit Sharma, Chairman of  Assam Public Works, the organization which is main petitioner at the Supreme Court, has said, “After a long battle, Assam is expecting its historical moment but we feel some organizations are afraid of their source of income and lack of issue because if the foreigner issue comes to an end, they will lose their 'permanent' issue.”

Image credit – The Statesman / Deccan Chronicle / State.com / PTI

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(Onkareshwar Pandey is Editor in Chief & CEO, Indian Observer Post and former Senior Group Editor- Rashtriya Sahara (Hindi & Urdu) and also former Editor - News, ANI. http://bit.ly/2mh7hih).