The Government of Assam will release the National Register of Citizens (NRC) list on the 31st of August in Assam.
The updated NRC list is expected to have names of approximately 41 lakh people. The list will end the decade long issue of citizenship and illegal immigrants and will help in identifying national citizens and illegal migrants from Bangladesh. Based on the first such NRC list which was prepared by the Government authorities in 1951, the Government will prepare the final list. Apart from the 1951 list, those individuals who were named in the electoral list in 1971 will also be included in the 2019 final list.
The Government officials are preparing the list since 2015, under the supervision of the Supreme Court.
The citizens of Assam are eagerly waiting for the final NRC list which will decide whether they are national citizens or immigrants.
When asked about what will happen to those who are excluded from the NRC list, the Government said such people will not be declared foreigners until the legal proceedings are done. The people who are not a part of the list will have an option to appeal to the Foreigners Tribunal (FTs) within 120 days.
A Home Ministry official, who wished to remain anonymous, said, “They (whose names don’t appear in NRC) will be allowed to present their case before the Foreigners Tribunal. The state government has said those left out of the NRC will not be detained under any circumstances until the tribunal declares them foreigners.”
The Government set up 200 additional FTs.
The Assam Police also assured the safety of those whose names do not appear on the list. The Assam Police took to Twitter and said the Government “ensured adequate safeguards for people whose name may not appear in the final NRC.” The post further read, “Don’t believe rumours, as some elements are trying to create confusion in society. Safety of citizens is our top priority.”
Suhas Chakma, the Director of Delhi based Rights and Risks Analysis Group, asked, “If they do not win their cases in FTs, they [government] are going to put tens of thousands in detention centres. Do you want to create these kinds of concentration camps?” He further added, “Will they die in prisons for the simple offence of crossing the border?”
The matter took a political turn as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Assam raised a concern about the accountability of the NRC list.
Ranjeet Das, the President of the BJP in Assam, said, “Persons declared foreigners are involved in the NRC updating process while people who were part of Assam agitation and even the Independence movement have got excluded (from the drafts released earlier). So how can we be satisfied with such a list?”
The final list is expected to be released online at 10:00 A.M., on the 31st of August. Approximately 41 lakh people are waiting to know their status as per the NRC list.
The Government also set up Seva Kendras for those who do not have an internet connection to check their status.
Stay tuned for further updates.
