Guwahati: Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Salman Khurshid on Friday questioned the functioning of the Election Commission, alleged violations of citizens’ rights in Assam’s eviction drives and raised concerns over the pending implementation of the final National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Addressing a press conference at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati, Khurshid also alleged that people displaced during evictions were being denied voting rights and criticised the government over alleged encounters, deportations and hate speeches.

Referring to the Election Commission, Khurshid alleged that decisions were recently taken unilaterally by the Chief Election Commissioner despite the dissent of two Election Commissioners. He said the matter was currently before the Supreme Court.

Quoting Rahul Gandhi, Khurshid said, “No matter how high a constitutional position you hold, no one is above the law; everyone must remain accountable before the law.”

He also targeted BJP candidate for the by-election and former District Commissioner Devashish Sharma, alleging that an officer who until recently served as District Commissioner had taken decisions to harass and deport legitimate Indian citizens for political expediency.

He said courts had also questioned the current status of two women who were expelled to Bangladesh as a result of such decisions.

Khurshid described the nomination of such an official as deeply tragic and contrasted it with Congress candidate and former MLA Sibamoni Bora, whom he said had an administrative background and a record of transparent, positive public service.

On the NRC, Khurshid recalled the role of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in initiating the update process under the Assam Accord, with 1971 as the cut-off year.

The NRC exercise, carried out between 2013 and 2019 under the direct monitoring of the Supreme Court, included 3.11 crore people and excluded 19.06 lakh. However, national identity cards have not been issued to those included in the final NRC, while rejection slips for those excluded have also remained pending. The Supreme Court is currently hearing pleas concerning these steps.

Khurshid said any fresh attempt by the BJP government to tamper with the NRC would amount to contempt of the Supreme Court’s directives.

The Congress leader also criticised eviction drives in Goalpara, Golaghat and the Rengma Reserve Forest, as well as the eviction at Kachutoli in Sonapur in September 2024. He said the eviction rendered nearly 2,000 people homeless and resulted in the deaths of Haidar Ali and Zubair Ali in police firing.

Calling the denial of voter registration to displaced people at relocated sites a violation of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, Khurshid said, “Demolishing homes and evicting people is sheer cruelty, but snatching away their voting rights and stripping them of their citizenship thereafter is the ultimate blow to democracy.”

He also raised the issue of police encounters and custodial deaths. Citing data submitted before the court, Khurshid said 171 police encounters took place in Assam between May 2021 and August 2022, resulting in 56 deaths, four custodial deaths and injuries to 145 individuals.

He questioned videos showing the Chief Minister speaking about pushing people into Bangladesh under the cover of darkness and referred to official data shared in the Legislative Assembly stating that 3,697 people were deported over the past two years without due process or formal notices.

Khurshid also criticised hate speeches by leaders holding high constitutional offices and said treating all citizens equally was the constitutional duty of any administration.

Answering questions from journalists, he said India’s strength lay in its composite ‘Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb’ and equal constitutional rights for all citizens.

On unity within the INDIA alliance, he said, “Rather than asking what the alliance can do for us, every leader today needs to realize what they can contribute to the alliance.”

Khurshid also termed the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) a diversionary tactic and said such a code could not be imposed without considering the rulings of the Supreme Court’s nine-judge bench and the distinct contexts of various states.

Khurshid paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversaries and congratulated Assam’s Lovlina Borgohain for winning a gold medal in the 75 kg boxing event at the Asian Games.

Former MP and senior leader Abdul Khaleque, Bolin Kuli, former MLA Diganta Barman, senior leader Nripen Thakuria, Gopal Sharma and Social Media Department chairman Rituparna Konwar were also present at the press conference.