NELECC delegates meet BJP leaders in Delhi

Special Correspondent

Silchar, June 29: The delegation of North East Linguistic and Ethnic Coordination Committee (NELECC) which has been campaigning for early passage of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016 in the Parliament and against the indiscriminate harassment of Indian citizens merely on ground of suspicion and branding them as ‘D’ voters, met Ram Madhav, all India general secretary of BJP in New Delhi on Thursday. NELECC at the same time forcefully pleaded for the implementation of the Centre’s Notification of 2015 for giving shelter and protection to the refugees who migrated from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), Afghanistan and Pakistan. It was pointed out to him that excepting in Assam, such refugees migrating to India due to religious persecution are being given shelter in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Punjab. It was further impressed upon him to ensure that no innocent person is sent to jail or detention camp without trial. The delegation cited a number of cases where bona fide Indian citizens branded ‘D’ voter and incarcerated later on turned out to be a sort of ‘witch-hunting’. As on this date of dialogue, 48 persons have been detained in Silchar Central Jail as foreigners declared by the Foreigners’ Tribunal. Of them, 35 are Hindu Bengalis and 13 Muslims.

Besides, the instances of endless harassment of applicants in the course of family tree verification have also been cited before him. Quite pathetic, 101 year old Chandradhar Das of Dholai Boraibasti in Cachar was also put in detention camp. The emaciated and almost on the verge of sinking old man was finally released on the pleas of human rights and legal activists. 65 year old Gita Namasudra of Patharkandi in Karimganj district has been languishing in the detention camp here since August 2, 2015. After being briefed by the members, Ram Madhav first expressed his surprise at the way Hindus in particular are being harassed and detained.

Ram Madhav then personally talked to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal over telephone requesting him to see that no such detention of Hindus recurs again. He also advised the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary to take steps for the implementation of the Centre’s Notification 2015. This would come as one way of giving protection to the Hindu Bengalis in Assam. In the meantime, NELECC team held a press-meet in New Delhi today where the mediapersons from various newspapers and television channels including BBC were present. The mediapersons were briefed in detail about the ongoing happenings in the state of Assam for correct projection of the views and opinions of the linguistic and ethnic minorities.