CRPC offers suggestions on NRC for Barak

 from our Correspondent

Silchar, Aug 21: Barak Upatakya Banga Sahitya O Sanskriti Sammelan (BUBSOSS), Cachar district committee, has organized a public meeting in collaboration with Intertiol Human Rights Committee, Silchar unit, in the premises of Women’s College of this town today on the issue of ongoing NRC update process in the state and the proposed Citizenship Bill. The chief speaker of the meeting was Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury, chief advisor, CRPC, and eminent advocate of Gauhati High Court. Other dignitaries who graced the public meeting included Nripendra Chandra Saha, president, Citizens’ Right Preservation Committee, and Joydeep Biswas, educationist.

 Welcoming Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury, Taimur Raja Choudhury, secretary of BUBSOSS and editor of Samayik Prasanga, said, “There are a lot of queries and questions regarding the ongoing NRC update process and proposed Citizenship Bill. In order to throw light on the various aspects of this issue, we request him to explain them.” Nripendra Chandra Saha said, “It is high time for the people for Barak Valley to stand in unison for the protection of their identity. At the time of filling up of NRC forms, we were asked to produce documents which prove that we are origil inhabitant of this country. I shudder to think how illiterate people can produce such documents.” He said, “How can tea tribes be allowed to submit or fill NRC forms without producing any relevant documents?” He also said that CRPC will always stand by the people of this valley. “Soon after Durga Puja, the process of NRC update will be on the verge of completion, so time is very less on our hands”, Saha added to say.

 “From 1951, when the 1st list of NRC Assam came out, till 2003, not much has been done in the update process of NRC of this state. The update process started on December 6, 2013 and the Registrar General of India has asked to complete the work within three years, that is December 6, 2016”, said Joydeep Biswas. Expressing his views on the issue, he further stated, “NRC update process lies solely with the Central Government. I am surprised that how the state government can has its say on the issue.”

 Throwing more light on the various aspects of NRC update process and proposed Citizenship Bill, Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury said, “There is a palpable tension among the people regarding the process. The categorization of people on the basis of ‘OI’ and ‘NOI’ is baseless as there is no mention of such categorization anywhere. It has been declared by the Supreme Court of India that only tea tribes will be allowed to apply for citizenship without producing any documents. But, it does not imply that they will acquire the citizenship so easily, unless the concerned registering authority for citizenship of the state is satisfied to grant citizenship.”

 Continuing, Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury said, “We have some suggestions for the civic, political and other organizations active in this valley. They should send a team of delegates to New Delhi to discuss the issue at length. Also, there is a need of forming a legal committee or a legal cell which can help people from time to time in case they need any legal advice and support.” He further added, “I request the Central Government, the state government and the RGI, to solve the pending issues regarding the ‘D’-voter before publishing the fil draft list of NRC.” Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury said that the people of the valley should remain united in this time of crisis.

 Both Taimur Raja Choudhury and Joydeep Biswas pointed out that the NRC officials did not provide any receipt after the submission of ‘family tree’. They mentioned about the fact that there is no validity or logical reason behind the submission of family tree. Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury and Nripendra Chandra Saha informed the gathering that they met with the state coorditor, in person, on the provision of providing any receipt after submission of family tree. They were informed that receipt should be given by the NRC Seva Kendras after keeping the family tree data. But in reality, no such receipts were provided to the applicants.

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