‘Consider Relief Eligibility Certificate (REC) as valid document for NRC’

GUWAHATI, Oct 4: The Janagusthi Suraksha Committee (JSC) on Thursday pleaded Dispur to consider the Relief Eligibility Certificate (REC) as valid document for the NRC stating that Koch, Hajong, Dalu, Banai and Garos were accommodated by the Government of India as refugees during 1964 who escaped from the erstwhile East Pakistan to avoid atrocity.

“We are also a part of the democratic movement initiated by the people of Assam to achieve an error-free NRC based on the Assam Accord. We believe an error-free NRC will resolve the decade long political difficulties faced by the people of Assam. However, the new directives in regards to the legitimized documents prescribed to enter names in the NRC has been alarming the members of the communities like Koch, Hajong, Dalu, Banai and the Gaors,” the JSC said.

The JSC said that according to the Assam Accord, all the names whoever entered and settled in India before 24 March, 1971 should be listed in the NRC. Stating that following the petition of the NRC authority, the Supreme Court has recently nullified the validity of five documents including the 1951 NRC, 1971 voter list, REC, ration card etc to enter names in the ongoing NRC. “After 54 years of peaceful settlement in India, this directive has been alarming. As such, there is a growing fear and a sense of helplessness among us,” the JSC added.