'Complex NRC update form has become a cause for concern'

From our Special Correspondent

Silchar, June 18: Though the process of distribution and receipt of filled up NRC forms has begun which will conclude on July 31, its complex and complicated format has become a cause of common concern. Not to speak of people in the rural areas, residents of urban areas are upset as to how to meet the requirements of the form. The updation as claimed by the state government has been simplified, but not the filling up of forms.

In the meantime, the district coorditor Rajiv Jha said that out of 2,14,908 individuals who have visited NSKs, 1,94,765 people have been furnished their ‘legacy data’. It is to be noted that Cachar district has more than 10 lakh voters. The figure as given by the administration does not indicate the overall index of satisfaction. According to information, hundreds of citizens are yet to find any linkage or legacy. Even educated people are perplexed.

An important functiory of a public body said that various organizations are preparing themselves for a joint agitation to protest against the so called simplified process. Sadhan Purkayastha, secretary general CRPC, demanded that Indian Evidence Act should be applied as one of the documents to establish citizenship. He apprehended this updation process as decided will lead to creation of several categories of citizenship. One may be declared a citizen of Assam on the basis of the documents sought for. Another not included in NRC will be Indian citizen. Those who have come to Assam from other states will be the citizens of their tive states. If Assam is granted the status of a tribal state with special power like Jammu and Kashmir, it will have an exclusive citizenship for its indigenous people.

Secretary general of CRPC questioned if varieties of citizens are created, what will happen to the unity and integrity of the country? He was of the view that the Union Government should form uniform law across the states of the country for the sake of unity. Moreover, Assam being a polyglot or multilingual, multi-religious and multiethnic state, the only way to keep the state united is to think of a uniform law. Citizenship should not be decided state wise but tionwide. This is the only way to make NRC updation process acceptable to all.

It is to be noted here that on the direction of the Supreme Court of India, the NRC updation has been taken up and it has to be completed by January 2016. It is also relevant to know that the modalities for updation has been approved by Registrar General of India and not by Supreme Court. This has been revealed in reply to a RTI petition filed by Sadhan Purkayastha.

Hiteh Dev Sarma, joint secretary to the government of Assam, political department and state public information officer NRC has clarified that as per provision of 6A of the Citizenship Act 1955, me of only the citizens residing in Assam upto March 24 (midnight) 1971, their descendants and origil inhabitants of Assam could be included in the updated NRC. The RTI further revealed that a Cabinet Sub-Committee was formed to deal with the matter of updation of NRC and implementation of clause 6 of Assam Accord. The Committee consisted of Prithvi Majhi, as chairman, members Tanka Bahadur Rai, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sharma, zrul Islam, Dr. Ardhendu Kumar Dey, Rockybul Hussain, Nilmani Sen Deka and Chandan Brahma, all ministers. Purkayastha said it is more than clear that the modalities were decided by the 8 member Cabinet Sub-Committee.