Our Bureau
GUWAHATI: The waiting was finally over as the complete draft of the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) was published in Assam at 10 am on Monday with a total of 2,89,83,677 names on the list out of the total applicants of 3,29,91,384. That leaves 40,07,707 applicants out of the final draft NRC.
Formally making the document public, the Registrar General of India (RGI) Sailesh, who was flanked by Union Home Secretary (N-E) Styendra Garg and NRC state coordinator Prateek Hajela, said, “It is a historic day in the country and Assam towards fulfilment of a major milestone of publishing the complete draft NRC under the monitoring of the Supreme Court of India.”
The RGI informed that those whose names did not appear in the complete draft NRC had no reason to worry. “I will like to make it clear that it is a complete draft NRC and not the final NRC. There will be plenty of scope for filing claims and objections… The NRC state coordinator will launch an intensive information campaign in this regard to help people who lack sufficient knowledge to file their claims and objectives,” Sailesh said.
Hajela said out of the over 40 lakh applicants whose name have failed to make it to the final draft NRC, about 2.48 lakh including “D’ (doubtful) voters and their descendants were such people whose applications had been put on hold.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday expressed confidence that the people would maintain age-old social harmony in the state ignoring the instigating comments and misinformation campaign made by certain vested quarters. He also expressed gratitude to the Supreme Court for monitoring the entire exercise.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh too allayed fears saying it was “only a draft and not the final NRC”.
“Some people are unnecessarily trying to create an atmosphere of fear. I want to assure all that there is no need for any apprehension or fear. Some misinformation is also being spread. NRC process has been done impartially. Some people may not have been able to submit necessary documents. They will get full opportunity through Claims and Objections process,” the Home Minister said.
“I want to clarify that even after the final NRC, every person will get an opportunity to approach the Foreigners’ Tribunal,” he added.
Garg said the Centre would closely monitor the law and order situation in the state in the aftermath of the publication of the draft.
The All Assam Students Union welcomed the publication of the complete draft terming it as a tribute to the sacrifice of the martyrs of the Assam Agitation.
“This is a historic moment for the people of Assam. The complete draft NRC is an outcome of 38 years of agitation including six years of the Assam Agitation that led to the signing of the Assam Accord in 1985,” AASU chief adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya said.
“This however is just one step towards the solution of a number of problems, including sealing of the Bangladesh border, which would bring about a state free from foreigners,” he added.
Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti leader Akhil Gogoi thanked the Supreme Court for the outcome. “We thank the NRC state coordinator and the officials involved in the exercise. We also thank Assam Public Works (an NGO) president, Abjijit Sarma (who had in 2009 prayed before the apex court to update the NRC in the state to detect foreigners) as well as the AASU for following up the matter,” Gogoi said.
The nervousness and uncertainty till 10am on Monday gave way to relief among many.
Apart from personally visiting the 2,500 NRC Seva Kendras (NSKs) across Assam, there were four other modes, including online, texts, help lines, through which applicants could confirm their names in the complete draft NRC.
As such, most of the NSKs witnessed a smooth flow of people who visited them to confirm their names in the draft. Officials engaged in the NRC update process were also relieved.