‘Relax Terms For Lodging Objections’ Says AASU
GUWAHATI: The AASU says that in every practical and functional sense, lodging objections against doubtful citizens figuring in the complete draft NRC is fraught with risk. This, apart from inadequate facilities for lodging objections, has led to poor number of objections filed in the NRC update exercise, the students’ body says.
AASU president Dipanko Kumar Nath said: “There’re many areas in Assam where the writ of doubtful citizens runs. Lodging an objection in such areas dominated by people of doubtful citizens in Assam is fraught with the risk of life. We, therefore, have appealed to the Centre, the State Government, the State NRC coordinator and the Supreme Court-constituted local committee headed by a retired judge, in writing, to raise these practical and functional problems with the apex court.”
The AASU president further said: “Many people, who are willing to lodge objections against wrongful inclusion of foreigners in the complete draft NRC, come to us. They say that they daren’t file such objections in their respective NRC seva kendras, apprehending the risk involved in the process. If the NRC is to be made free from errors, why doesn’t the authority concerned relax some of the impractical conditions set for raising objections? Why isn’t an objector allowed to lodge his/her objection in any NRC seva Kendra where he/she feels safe, secure and cozy? The objector has to give the ANR number of the NRC applicant whom he/she feels is of doubtful nationality. Why isn’t the hearing of such objections heard in the district headquarters where an objector can feel safer? According to the law, an objector can lodge his/her objection from anywhere. Why doesn’t the NRC authority allow the objectors, who do not feel safe to lodge their objections, to lodge them with the SC-constituted local committee that can take them up with the apex court?”
The AASU president has made it clear that if the relaxations it has sought are not given a careful thought and taken care of, the NRC being updated will be meaningless.