From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Assam BJP, while expressing displeasure in the manner in which the National Register of Citizens has been updated, predicted that many “foreigners” would be included in the NRC while genuine Indian citizens excluded from the citizens register.
The final list of NRC is set for publication on August 31, 2019.
The party further took a dig at the “unilateral” role of the NRC state coordinator after the state government was directed by the Supreme Court not to intervene in the NRC update exercise.
Addressing the media here on Monday, state BJP president, Ranjit Kumar Dass also pledged to extend support for legal access to all genuine Indian citizens who might be excluded from the final list.
“We appeal to all the party’s 40 lakh karyakartas to stand behind all those genuine Indian citizens excluded from the final list of NRC and help them get access to legal aid. Besides, we urge them not to worry, believe in the law and make appeals before the foreigners’ tribunals for inclusion in the NRC,” Dass said.
He welcomed the decision of the Centre to enhance the period of filing appeals in foreigners’ tribunals from 60 days to 120 days. “This is allow space for those Indians excluded from the list to have access to documents supporting their citizenship,” Dass said.
The state BJP president further recalled how the requests made for 10 and 20 per cent sample re-verification was not considered by the Supreme Court after the state coordinator, Prateek Hajela had submitted before the apex court that already the particulars of 27 per cent people have been verified.
“We are not happy with the NRC exercise for which we are told over Rs 1200crore has been spent. Here, we would like to state that in the coming days we will demand for measures for inclusion of all those excluded Indians in NRC thorough legislations and amendments in Parliament and Assembly,” Dass said.
He further said that in a democracy, the judiciary, executive and legislature have their own rights and roles to play. “We appeal to the government to take measures to institute inquiries into the inclusion of doubtful inclusions which may have been supported by forged documents. These documents need verification so that there are no anomalies,” he said.
The state BJP chief further appealed to all sections of people not to trigger any tension or monger fear following publication of the citizens’ register.