Civil society activists in the past have expressed fears that the National Register of Citizens revision process may be used to target genuine citizens from the minority community by the first BJP government in Assam.
Calling it an outcome of the “historical Assam Accord” signed between former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the All Assam Students Union in 1985, the Congress said on Monday that it would ensure that the process of update was carried out with “complete integrity, transparency and accountability”.
To stand by citizens
“We assure the people of Assam that Congress leaders and workers will leave no stone unturned to ensure that not a single claim of any citizen is left unaddressed and not a single family or a section of people suffers on account of lack of appropriate verification of their documents or claim,” said Randeep Surjewala, chief spokesperson of the Congress.
Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal played down the possibility of the minority community being harassed.
Rare possibility
“There may be a one or two cases of mistaken identity. It is a Himalayan task of verifying over six crore documents. The entire process is being monitored by the Honourable Supreme Court. Some vested interests are trying to spread false ideas but I want to thank the people of the State who have taken part in the process irrespective of their religion, caste or region,” he said.
“The security forces are there to inspire confidence among the people. But the entire process is supported by the people of Assam as it will settle the Foreigners’ debate for all times to come. It is in the nation’s interest and anyone who opposes is an anti-national,” the Chief Minister said.
Warning against rumours
Mr. Sonowal said people whose names did not figure in the draft NRC need not panic as “there is an in-built rectification process.”
Mr. Sonowal warned against “inflammatory and objectionable posts in social media” on missing names. “People whose names have not appeared can go through the ‘claims and objection’ process and get their names in. If someone uses such instances to spread rumours and false information to create tensions, our government will hand out exemplary punishment,” he said, speaking to The Hindu .
