A new political party in Assam is on its way to be formed with a very specific agenda – legal protection of the identity of Assam’s indigenous people and re-verification of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise, reports Deccan Herald.
The announcement of the formation of the political party was made by Upamanyu Hazarika, a lawyer of the Supreme Court from Assam who has contested as an independent candidate for the Guwahati seat in this year’s Lok Sabha election.
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The apex court has set the deadline for the publication of the updated NRC as July 30. The NRC has been a major controversy in Assam at present and one of core issues for the political parties in the state.
Hazarika feels it is the need of the hour to focus on the NRC exercise specifically ensuring the safeguard of the state’s indigenous people’s identity.
There is the need now to for the formation of a political platform or a party on the issues of protection of indigenous identity. There is a need to seek a re-verification of the NRC to prevent inclusion of 60 lakh illegal migrants,” said Hazarika.
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The exercise for the publication of the updated NRC has March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date, which was decided in the Assam Accord of 1985.
Also read: ‘Religious minority being targeted in name of Assam NRC update’
A total of 3.29 crore individuals had applied for the NRC list out of which more than 40.07 lakhs found their names dropped off from the draft NRC which was released on July 30, 2018. The dropouts have, however, been allowed to submit claims of their inclusion in the final list of NRC.
Hazarika, who has been campaigning for the issue of illegal migration across the state, now wants to take it to the next level with the formation of a political party.
For now, he leads an organization called Pravajan Virodhi Manch fighting the same issue of illegal immigration mainly from Bangladesh into Assam.
“We will be carrying out extensive consultations in the next two months with the people of Assam, organisations, groups as to the structure and functioning of the new political entity,” mentioned Hazarika in a statement.
Hazarika who is also against the NDA’s Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, said his party would be focused on fighting for legislation of reserving various rights and opportunities for the indigenous people in terms of land rights, employment, trade and business opportunities.