GUWAHATI: Dejected after being ‘rejected’ from the final National Register of Citizens (NRC), honorary flight lieutenant (retired), Chabindra Sharma from Biswanath Chariali in central Assam, has not lost hope though.
Sharma, 57, who had served the Indian Air Force (IAF) for 38 years with postings across the country, said he was certain he would be considered an Indian citizen once the entire proceedings end.
“Now I am waiting for the process of filing appeals in the foreigners’ tribunal was over. The feeling of disappointment is there but it is yet to strike me deep. My family members, whose names are there in the NRC, are more worried. But I guess, when as an Indian citizen, I will have to go to a foreigners’ tribunal to prove my case, the dejection will be felt more,” he told The Shillong Times over phone from his freedom-fighter father’s residence, located a few kilometers off Biswanath Chariali, on Tuesday.
The ignominy has been prolonged for the man who has given more than half his life to IAF. That’s dragged on since his name was missing from the part publication of draft NRC published on the midnight of December 31, 2017, and also from the complete draft NRC released on July 30, 2018.
“But I cannot blame anyone for what has happened even as I am still bewildered over the fact that despite submitting all documents and using the same legacy data of my parents, my name did not appear in the three lists. It’s an irony that I had to undergo three hearings to prove my citizenship,” he said.
The ex-serviceman said he was prepared for the challenge ahead. “I am open to all legal aid available to pass the citizenship test,” he added.
Meanwhile, Kargil war veteran Md Sanaullah, who too has his name missing in the NRC, reiterated his faith in the judiciary.
A retired army officer who had served the country for 30 years, had spent time as a “foreign national” at a detention centre in Goalpara before being granted interim bail
“I am now waiting for a positive verdict from the Gauhati High Court where my case is pending. The outcome was expected and I have taken things in my stride. Now, all that I have to do is to be patient,” Sanaullah, 52, told The Shillong Times from his Satgaon residence here.
The foreigners’ tribunal at Boko had declared Sana Ullah as a “foreign national” on May 23 following which he was sent to the detention centre. Subsequently, his family members had challenged the tribunal’s order in Gauhati High Court.