NRC may be tackled via legislative route

Assam CM, who met Amit Shah, says any decision can be taken after the list is published on August 31

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal indicated on Monday that any decision to challenge the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) through the legislative route could be discussed in future.

“In a democracy, everyone has the right to ask questions. After the publication of the NRC on August 31, if necessary in future, we will take whatever steps will be required,” he said, asked whether the government was exploring any legislative options to delay the publication.

Wrongful inclusions

Both the Centre and the State have moved the Supreme Court in the past seeking re-verification of the documents of 20% of the 3.29 crore applicants in areas bordering Bangladesh as they suspect wrongful inclusions and exclusions.

 

Mr. Sonowal, who had an hour-long meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah, said that as per the directions of the Supreme Court, the NRC would be published by August 31 and both the State and Central governments would ensure that it was conducted peacefully.

Millions are set to lose citizenship after the publication of the final list. The register, first published in Assam in 1951, is being updated as per the court directions. It is a list to segregate Indian citizens living in Assam from those who had illegally entered the State from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971.

The Supreme Court has, in the past fortnight, twice rejected the State’s and the Home Ministry’s plea for re-verification. Around 41 lakh people have been excluded from the draft lists published in July 2018 and June this year. Around 36 lakh have filed claims against their exclusion and objections have been filed against two lakh inclusions. The hearing of these claims and objections are under way.

Mr. Sonowal said there were apprehensions about the law and order situation when the part draft and the final draft were published in 2018. “But with the cooperation of the people, everything went off peacefully. This time also, with the active support of the Centre and as per the expectations of the people, the NRC will be published on August 31,” he said.