Public Expresses Satisfaction Over Publication of Final Draft of NRC in Dhubri District,Assam

A Correspondent

DHUBRI, July 30: People by and large expressed satisfaction over publication of final draft of NRC in Dhubri district and the day passed off peacefully without any untoward incident across Dhubri district. However, towns and village markets wore a deserted look and there was limited vehicular movement. Apprehending breach of peace, Dhubri district administration had made an elaborate security arrangement in all the 136 NSKs and deployed over 13 companies of para-military forces in the district, beside promulgating 144 CrPC banning all kind of assemblies, rallies and meetings. A villager of Phulkata Goan Panchayat of Dhubri district, Solaiman Haque, when contacted by The Sentinel, informed that all the names of his family members appeared in the final draft of NRC.

“I am happy that trial on the question of genuine citizenship is over now, and no one now can point fingers and brand us as Bangladeshis or foreigners. Further, baring few, names of all people under Phulkata Goan Panchayat have also appeared in this draft. These names have not figured in this final draft due to technical reasons and in the next phase of claims and objections, I am sure their names will also be included,” a confident Haque said.

When asked as how many names figured in the final draft out of the total 17,12,431 population in the district, Dhubri Additional Deputy Commissioner Surman Ali said that this figure was not available with the DC office. “We can provide this information if we receive it from State-level office,” Ali added. Though the district administration remains tight lipped over the figure of non-inclusion of names, an official unwilling to be quoted, speculated it to be over 2 lakh. “A little over 12 per cent names have not appeared in the final draft,” official said. When contacted, Additional Superintendent of Police Gunindra Deka informed that there was no report of trouble or any incident from any part of the district and everything was peaceful. “Still we are keeping a close watch on the situation,” Deka added.