Releasing the final NRC Draft, around 40 lakh applicants fight to prove their citizenship in Assam
Guwahati, July 30: The much awaited Assam National Register of Citizens or NRC has been updated for the first time since 1951 in the account to identify the illegal migrants from the neighboring state of Bangladesh. Releasing the draft today, it has been noted that around 40 lakh people in Assam have been left out of a draft list of citizens who will have to face deportation if they cannot prove their citizenship.
Releasing the updated NRC draft list, officials underlined that no one would be deported or arrested as this is only a draft. Thousands of central forces are in the state to prevent any unrest over the new list. Asserting the list to be just a draft and not the final list, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said, "Some people are unnecessarily trying to create an atmosphere of fear. This is a draft and not the final list."
The draft inks the name of around 3.29 crore people who had applied for their names to be included. Out of that only 2.89 crore have made it to the revised citizen's list. The rest face the prospect of being declared illegal and sent out unless they can satisfy the doubts of the authorities or unable to prove their identity of citizenship of the state. It has been noted that if the name of the citizen is not included in the list, the citizen can appeal for claims and objections citing the draft.
In a tweet by the NRC, the letter by the Home Minister was stated as the government wants to make it clear and so only the draft will be published on the 30th July. Examining all the claims and objections, the adequate opportunity will be given to all to prove their citizenship and only then the final draft will be published.
These claims and objections from those left out of the citizen's list will be taken up from July 31 to September 28. "Adequate and ample scope will be given to people for making objections. No genuine Indian citizen should have any fear," said Registrar General of India, Sailesh.
So for those whose name in not added in the list of the draft, the NRC has updated the complete NRC draft with enabling their websites and availing the time scheduled as 10 am to 4 pm from July 31 to September 28.
Apart from this, the Assam Police has also ensured safety and security of the citizens of the state by availing their helpline services. Citing their helpline number 0361-2463303 the Assam Police department assured that the citizens can appeal and file their name for registration again.
Releasing the draft, home ministry official in charge of the northeast, Satyendra Garg said that based on this draft no reference case will be sent to the foreigner tribunal or put in a detention center. The register counts only those as Assam citizens who can prove that they were living in the state on or before March 21, 1971.
The list has been updated to include descendants of those in the state in 1951 when the first census took place or those who were in Assam's electoral rolls as of March 24, 1971.
The descendants of those who can prove citizenship till March 24, 1971, will also be considered Indian citizens. So will those who arrived between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, and registered themselves with the Foreigners Registration Regional Officer.
The first draft of the NRC was published on January 1, with 1.9 crore names. Earlier this month, officials said there were irregularities in the documents of 1.5 lakh people. The center has sent around 23,000 paramilitary troops to Assam and neighboring Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, to prevent any flare-up. Applications for inclusion into the National Register for Citizens started in May 2015 and documents were received from around 68 lakh families across Assam.