At a time when Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), Asom Sahitya Sabha (ASS0 and most of the organizations of the State have sought publication of the updated National Register of Citizens (NRC) to protect the indigenous people, Asom Sanmilita Mahasangha executive president Matiur Rahman on Tuesday alleged that AGP, AASU and Asom Sahitya Sabha have been politicising the NRC issue.
Addressing a joint press conference organized by the Indigenous Tribal People’s Front, National Democratic Front of Boroland-Progressive (NDFB-P) and Asom Sanmilita Mahasangha here at Guwahati, Matiur Rahman said, “It would be a death warrant for the indigenous people of the State if the NRC is updated on the basis of 1971 voters’ list.”
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Demanding update of the NRC on the basis of 1951 voter list, Rahman said, “The Supreme Court of India has not passed any order to identify Indian citizens according to the 1971 voters’ list. Only the two-member bench of Supreme Court including Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice RF Nariman passed the interim order to update NRC on the basis of the 1971 voters’ list.”
Bringing allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central Government, he said, “The Centre has failed to provide constitutional safeguard to the indigenous people of Assam.”
Announcing the decision of the Mahasangha in association with Indigenous Tribal Peoples’ Front to launch strong protest against the Central Government, Rahman said, “The Supreme Court of India has been monitoring the whole NRC process. We will wait till the publication of the final NRC. But if the names of 70 lakh illegal migrants, who entered the country till 1971, get included in the NRC, we will launch strong protest.”
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The final draft NRC has been scheduled to be published by June 30, 2018. However, it has been reported that the final draft NRC publication might be delayed due to floods across the State.