The NRC authorities raised many an eyebrows when they issued a notice to a seven-year-old boy named Bijoy Das living in close quarters of Indo-Bangladesh border in Katigorah under Cachar district of Assam, classifying him as a ‘declared foreigner’.
Father of this seven year old boy, Nabindra Das, resides in a hutment just 50 metres from the border at Rongpur village under Jalalpur Gaon Panchayat and has been living here for ages, but in a pitiable condition.
Nabindra Das submitted all necessary documents for NRC by the end of December, 2015, but after two and half years and just 10 days to go before the final draft for NRC is to come out, all hell broke loose for him and his family.
The BLO of the area turned up and submitted a letter wherein against Nabindra Das’ ARN Number, his son was declared to be a foreigner, and nothing else has been reported against him or his wife Bappi Das.
Bijoy Das, was born in 2011 at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH) and a copy of that record was submitted during the submission of NRC documents. But, now, this boy lives in fear as his friends keep telling him that he would be sent back to Bangladesh.
Speaking to Northeast Now, Nabindra Das said, “We are at a loss of words and don’t know, whom to approach or where to go to get this rectified. I work as a fisherman, and it is very difficult to make both ends meet”.
The NRC officials at Katigorah too could not explain the reasons for such notice and shied away by saying that they are not the highest authority in declaring someone a legal or an illegal citizen.
