Extending the process of creating a National Register of Citizens across the country will most certainly create a series of electronic-data based pogroms (Page 1, “ Centre plans NRC exercise all over the country: Amit Shah” and Editorial – “Senseless”, both November 21). It will further deepen the fissures that exist. In this connection the observations made by Ornit Shani, award winning author of How India became Democratic, are worth quoting. On page 129 it says: “The preparation of rolls was a state building project of the largest possible scale in terms of its population and territorial reach. Thus, at a time when ‘who is an Indian’ was in question, and ‘where is India’ was in flux, the preparation of the roll became an important factor in the actual binding of the territories of the provinces and the states, and the people into a unified democratic order.” It would be tragic if we disregarded the constitutional mandate entrusted to us based on these ideas.
Geeta Doctor,
Chennai
It is inexcusable on the part of the central government to be harping on dangerous and futile exercises such as the NRC and Citizenship Amendment Bill when the economy is facing innumerable problems. Apparently, it is nothing but a diversionary tactic to make people obsessed with ultra nationalism intended to camouflage the failures of the government from being debated and exposed. Misadventures that affect the unique diversity of India must be stopped. The government is well advised to focus on livelihood issues of Indians.
N. Raveendra Babu,
Hyderabad
The plan will be a humongous and futile exercise, neither necessary nor useful. The NRC exercise in Assam was obligatory in order to honour the 1985 Assam Accord, but even this has not been without its faultlines. There is no point in extending a mammoth exercise such as the NRC which demands great resources and without any meaningful social dividends in the end other than leaving people in utter confusion. When the state has failed to even provide simple voter cards to its citizens, how can it be expected to carry out a flawless all-India NRC?
Dr. D.V.G. Sankararao,
Nellimarla, Andhra Pradesh
