Questions galore over NRC first draft

Barak Valley

From our Special Correspondent

Silchar, Jan 2: Update of NRC in Assam is no doubt the first of its kind in the country as no other state has gone for such tiol register of citizens. It was in 1951 for the first time that the NRC was updated in the state without any intervention of the Supreme Court of India. The process was smooth and spontaneous without raising an eyebrow over the issue of foreigners though it was slowly and gradually engulfing Assam. The NRC update of today might be termed as the tryst with the destiny of the state as at stake is the very identity and culture of indigenous people. But, the way mes of applicants in the three districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi have been published has raised certain relevant questions. The list brought out remains incomplete in respect of a family. This has been attributed by the NRC State Coorditor due to the non-receipt of verification reports from other states. Still, it gives a discordant look. Some distinguished persolities and eminent citizens of the valley are surprised to find not only their mes in some cases but also of their wives and children missing from the draft.

 Dr. Tapodhir Bhattacharjee, former vice-chancellor of Assam University and a tive of this town as well as the son of the freedom fighter Tarapada Bhattacharjee, is not only shocked but felt humiliated to see his me missing. Sat Kairi, well known jourlist and belonging to indigenous tea tribe community, has more surprises as the mes of his three daughters figure in the draft while that of self and his wife is missing. More interesting, the mes of the wife of Dilip Kumar Paul, Deputy Speaker of Assam Assembly, his younger daughter and also the husband of his sister are missing.

 Another prominent persolity Ameer-e-Shariat chief of northeast, Maula Tayeebur Rahman Barbhuiya, has also been surprised to find his me missing from the first draft. North Karimganj MLA Kamalakshya Dey Purkayastha and his family members do not figure in the draft so is the me of Shipra Goon, BJP leader and former All India Mahila Morcha president of the party. Both Kamalakshya Dey and Shipra Goon said they are not worried, the second draft will definitely carry their mes. Apart from missing mes of prominent persons, complaints are pouring in about the errors in enlisting the mes by seva kendra workers.

 In fact, despite assurances from the higher authorities of the administration not to panic and wait for the second draft, there exists simmering discontent and resentment among common people in general. Taking a serious view of the wayward manner in which the first draft has been published and the resentment among masses, a public meeting was held in the conference room of a community hall today. It was resolved that the documents submitted by individuals should be considered for enrolling them in the fil draft. Those who addressed the meeting included Ataur Rahman Mazarbhuiya, Kishore Kumar Bhattacharjee, Dr. Sourindra Kumar Bhattacharjee, Taimur Raja Choudhury, Sadhan Purkayastha, Sanjib Debth and Rupam ndi Purkayastha among others.

 All of them said in the me of NRC update, people in general have been subjected to harassment. A sense of further panic has been added by the statement of Deputy Commissioner of Cachar who said at the press-meet those whose mes have been enrolled in the first draft might find it dropped in case complaints or objections against their inclusion are lodged. It was decided unimously to submit memorandum on the ground reality vis a vis grievances of public to the NRC State Coorditor Prateek Hajela and Deputy Commissioners of the three districts of Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi followed by long drawn agitation including mass protest rally and Barak bandh.