Backlash grows over final list of Assam citizenship

A controversial citizenship list in northeast India that has left almost two million people facing statelessness has been slammed by its political backers as those excluded from it face an uncertain future. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which runs Assam state where the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was collated, pushed for the list saying it was necessary to detect "foreign infiltrators". Critics said the NRC process reflected the BJP's goal to serve Hindus, with a large chunk of those excluded expected to be Muslims.

But the strategy appears to have backfired with local BJP leaders claiming that many Bengali-speaking Hindus, a key vote bank for the party, were left off the list.

"We do not trust this NRC. We are very unhappy," Ranjeet Kumar Dass, BJP party president in Assam told the Press Trust of India late Saturday.

"Many people with forged certificates were included," Dass said, while 200,000 "genuine Indians" were left out.

Those left off have 120 days to appeal at special Foreigners Tribunals.

"If we see that FTs are delivering adverse judgements on the appeals by genuine Indian citizens... we will bring in legislation and make an act to protect them," Dass added.

A leader of the main opposition Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said his party would support those who were wrongly excluded, including providing them with legal aid. Assam has long seen large influxes from elsewhere, including under British colonial rule and around Bangladesh's 1971 war of independence when millions fled into India.

Under the NRC, only those who could demonstrate they or their forebears were in India before 1971 could be included in the list. Assam villagers told AFP about family members who were excluded even though they had similar documents to their relatives.

"Our children's names are in the list but my

wife’s name is missing. She submitted all the documents and records... Why?,” asked resident Jaynal Abudin.

Those left out, many of whom are poor and illiterate, have to navigate a long and expensive legal process that could include bringing their cases to the courts if they are rejected by a foreigner tribunal.

The NRC, which comes in the wake of New Delhi revoking the autonomy of Kashmir, India’s only Muslim-majority state, has reinforced fears among India’s 170 million Muslim minority that they are being singled out by the central government.

The BJP has previously said it wants the NRC to be replicated nationwide.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Saturday called for the list to be applied in the capital, saying it was needed to identify illegal immigrants.

News18 adds, among the 19 lakh people left out in final National Register of Citizens published on Saturday, the family of India’s fifth president late Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed found their names missing from the list.

The family of Ziauddin, son of Fakhruddin’s brother Lt Ekramuddin Ali Ahmed, who hails from Rangia in Kamrup district, was in for a shock last year as well when they did not find their names in the draft NRC list released in July.

“I am the nephew of former President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, and my name is missing in the NRC, since my father’s name is not in the legacy data, we are little worried about it,” Ziauddin Ali Ahmed had said then.

This time, a total of 3,30,27,661 people had applied to be included in the NRC. Of them, 3,11,21,004 have been included in the document and 19,06,657 excluded, a statement from the NRC State Coordinator’s office said here. Those who have been excluded from the National Register of Citizens have 120 days to appeal against it at Foreigners Tribunals.

The Assam government has already ruled out detention of people who do not figure in the list “in any circumstances” till the time Foreigners Tribunals declare them foreigners. The final list was published at 10 am and the hard copies of the Supplementary List of Inclusions are available for public viewing at the NRC Seva Kendras (NSK), offices of the deputy commissioner and offices of the Circle Officer during office hours, a statement by the NRC authority said.

Assam is the first Indian state where the NRC is being updated after 1951, with March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date, to include names of “genuine Indian citizens”.

From another report of India Today, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday said she was shocked to see the names of thousands of genuine Indians excluded from the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) list for Assam.

Mamata Banerjee also said that she was unaware of the full NRC fiasco. “Names of thousands and thousands of genuine Indians, including those of CRPF and other jawans, family members of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, have been excluded,” she said.

“Government must take care that genuine Indians are not left out and justice is meted out to all of our genuine Indian brothers and sisters,” Banerjee added.

She went on to criticise the fact that the names of more than one lakh Gorkha people have been excluded from the list.

Earlier I was not aware of the full NRC fiasco. As more and more information is coming in, we are shocked to see that names of more than 1 lakh Gorkha people have been excluded from the list. (1/3)

Several leaders have slammed the government after the final list of the NRC for Assam was released on Saturday. More than 19 lakh people have been left out of the NRC list while 3.11 crore have been included.

Out of 3,30,27,661 applicants, 3,11,21,004 people have been found eligible for inclusion in the final NRC list.

Uncertainty hangs over the fate of lakhs of people who now have to file an appeal at the Foreigners’ Tribunals (FT) and pursue a legal battle to get their names included.

In fact, names of thousands and thousands of genuine Indians, including those of CRPF and other jawans, family members of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, have been excluded. (2/3) Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has assured that all the genuine citizens of the state will be given all possible assistance during the next 120 days of the process for inclusion in the NRC.

 

Backlash grows over final list of Assam citizenship

A controversial citizenship list in northeast India that has left almost two million people facing statelessness has been slammed by its political backers as those excluded from it face an uncertain future. Prime Minister Narendra Modis Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which runs Assam state where the National Register of Citizens (NRC) was collated, pushed for the list saying it was necessary to detect foreign infiltrators. Critics said the NRC process reflected the BJPs goal to serve Hindus, with a large chunk of those excluded expected to be Muslims. But the strategy appears to have backfired with local BJP leaders claiming that many Bengali-speaking Hindus, a key vote bank for the party, were left off the list. We do not trust this NRC. We are very unhappy, Ranjeet Kumar Dass, BJP party president in Assam told the Press Trust of India late Saturday. Many people with forged certificates were included, Dass said, while 200,000 genuine Indians were left out. Those left off have 120 days to appeal at special Foreigners Tribunals. If we see that FTs are delivering adverse judgements on the appeals by genuine Indian citizens... we will bring in legislation and make an act to protect them, Dass added. A leader of the main opposition Congress Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said his party would support those who were wrongly excluded, including providing them with legal aid. Assam has long seen large influxes from elsewhere, including under British colonial rule and around Bangladeshs 1971 war of independence when millions fled into India. Under the NRC, only those who could demonstrate they or their forebears were in India before 1971 could be included in the list. Assam villagers told AFP about family members who were excluded even though they had similar documents to their relatives. Our childrens names are in the list but my wifes name is missing. She submitted all the documents and records... Why?, asked resident Jaynal Abudin. Those left out, many of whom are poor and illiterate, have to navigate a long and expensive legal process that could include bringing their cases to the courts if they are rejected by a foreigner tribunal. The NRC, which comes in the wake of New Delhi revoking the autonomy of Kashmir, Indias only Muslim-majority state, has reinforced fears among Indias 170 million Muslim minority that they are being singled out by the central government. The BJP has previously said it wants the NRC to be replicated nationwide. Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Saturday called for the list to be applied in the capital, saying it was needed to identify illegal immigrants. News18 adds, among the 19 lakh people left out in final National Register of Citizens published on Saturday, the family of Indias fifth president late Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed found their names missing from the list. The family of Ziauddin, son of Fakhruddins brother Lt Ekramuddin Ali Ahmed, who hails from Rangia in Kamrup district, was in for a shock last year as well when they did not find their names in the draft NRC list released in July. I am the nephew of former President of India Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, and my name is missing in the NRC, since my fathers name is not in the legacy data, we are little worried about it, Ziauddin Ali Ahmed had said then. This time, a total of 3,30,27,661 people had applied to be included in the NRC. Of them, 3,11,21,004 have been included in the document and 19,06,657 excluded, a statement from the NRC State Coordinators office said here. Those who have been excluded from the National Register of Citizens have 120 days to appeal against it at Foreigners Tribunals. The Assam government has already ruled out detention of people who do not figure in the list in any circumstances till the time Foreigners Tribunals declare them foreigners. The final list was published at 10 am and the hard copies of the Supplementary List of Inclusions are available for public viewing at the NRC Seva Kendras (NSK), offices of the deputy commissioner and offices of the Circle Officer during office hours, a statement by the NRC authority said. Assam is the first Indian state where the NRC is being updated after 1951, with March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date, to include names of genuine Indian citizens. From another report of India Today, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday said she was shocked to see the names of thousands of genuine Indians excluded from the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) list for Assam. Mamata Banerjee also said that she was unaware of the full NRC fiasco. Names of thousands and thousands of genuine Indians, including those of CRPF and other jawans, family members of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, have been excluded, she said. Government must take care that genuine Indians are not left out and justice is meted out to all of our genuine Indian brothers and sisters, Banerjee added. She went on to criticise the fact that the names of more than one lakh Gorkha people have been excluded from the list. Earlier I was not aware of the full NRC fiasco. As more and more information is coming in, we are shocked to see that names of more than 1 lakh Gorkha people have been excluded from the list. (1/3) Several leaders have slammed the government after the final list of the NRC for Assam was released on Saturday. More than 19 lakh people have been left out of the NRC list while 3.11 crore have been included. Out of 3,30,27,661 applicants, 3,11,21,004 people have been found eligible for inclusion in the final NRC list. Uncertainty hangs over the fate of lakhs of people who now have to file an appeal at the Foreigners Tribunals (FT) and pursue a legal battle to get their names included. In fact, names of thousands and thousands of genuine Indians, including those of CRPF and other jawans, family members of former President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, have been excluded. (2/3) Meanwhile, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has assured that all the genuine citizens of the state will be given all possible assistance during the next 120 days of the process for inclusion in the NRC.