NRC and 'D' voters to be raised at Aurangabad ABAP meeting

  Special Correspondent

Silchar, April 11: The issues of NRC update, ‘D’ voters and the writ petition awaiting fil disposal by the Supreme Court will be taken up at the two day meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad (ABAP) beginning from today at Aurangabad in Maharashtra, said Santanu ik, north east coorditor of the Parishad. He said considering the seriousness of the issues in relation to the citizenship of Indian citizens, particularly Hindu Bengali refugees, he has impressed upon the tiol executive body to give due importance to them.

  Specifically, Santanu ik pointed out of greater stake was the granting of citizenship to displaced Hindu refugees from East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Many of them have been branded ‘D’ voters and facing unnecessary harassment like detention in camps and even push back. He quoted the assurances given by the tiol leaders like Jawahar Lal Nehru and Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel among others for the protection of Hindu refugees during the time of partition.

  Another relevant point to be raised is the Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, 1950 whose proviso section 2 makes it clear that the refugees victims of political repression and social unrest should be given shelter and protection. Also relevant is the Nehru-Liaqat Pact signed on April 8, 1950 which speaks of protection to the Hindu refugees from that side of the border. In order to justify the recognition of displaced Hindus as refugees and granting of citizenship to them, the Intertiol Convention on Refugees of 1951 and Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 would be the guiding reference to extend asylum to the oppressed and persecuted in their country and seeking shelter in any other country for safety of their life and protection of their right to live.   Santanu ik said the granting of refugee status to Chakmas taking shelter in Aruchal Pradesh after being forced to migrate from Bangladesh and the direction of the Supreme Court to the state government of Aruchal Pradesh to protect their life and property would be the pressing point. Besides, United tions High Commission of Refugees’ emphasis on granting of refugee status and shelter to the victims of persecution in their country of birth has to be given human consideration.   Most important, the writ petition (Civil) no. 243 / 2012 pending before the Supreme Court and to be disposed of within three weeks from now is expected to go favourably for the Hindu Bengali refugees of Assam and the rest of the country. The Central Government is expected to take a policy decision on the crucial issue of granting of citizenship to the Hindu Bengali refugees and submit it before the Apex Court. The issues of citizenship in Assam have been made complex by the ubated flow of illegal migrants from that side of the border and many of them making their entry into the electoral rolls and even when hunted by the police make vanishing tricks.