‘Reverify genuine Indian Gorkhas’: All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union
A Correspondent
TINSUKIA: The Tinsukia District Committee of All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union (AAGSU) has urged State Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for re-verification of genuine Indian Gorkhas who have been excluded from the NRC at their respective NSKs, without sending their names in FTs (foreigners tribunals). They staged a sit-in in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office at Tinsukia on Friday.
In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, the AAGSU, while expressing profound shock, stated that a sizeable population of the Gorkha community living in Assam prior to 1971 has been blatantly left out in the final NRC by the Government of Assam and NRC authorities by levelling them as ‘D’ voters, notwithstanding, a circular from the Home Ministry following a tripartite discussion with the then Home Minister Rajnath Singh on the ‘D’ voter issue. It further stated that about one lakh Gorkha people in upper Assam alone were excluded from the NRC because of sub-title mismatch, linkage document issues etc. Alleging that many NSK officials had misguided and mentally harassed in the name of hearing and treated them as 2nd class citizens and refused to accept the Grazing Permits which may lead to the exclusion of Gorkhas from NRC even as many families belong to freedom fighters, martyrs and ex-Army officials. They have been left out from the final NRC for the reasons best known to the NRC officials, the memorandum stated.