Rajnath quells worries over register of citizens
NRC DRAFT ‘Bona fide’ Indians will get opportunity to prove citizenship, says home minister
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After draft publication, adequate opportunity for claims and objections will be available. All claims and objections will be duly examined...
RAJNATH SINGH, home minister
NEW DELHI: As Assam awaits the publication of another ‘draft’ of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) on July 30, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday said there was no need to panic as all “bona fide” Indians will be given adequate opportunity to prove their citizenship.
The home minister’s statement came after his meeting with Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday here.
The purpose of the NRC is to differentiate between Indian citizens residing in Assam and those who illegally migrated to the state from Bangladesh after March 25, 1971, a date agreed in the Assam Accord signed between the All Assam Students Union (AASU) and the Rajiv Gandhi government in 1985.
The first draft of the NRC was published on the intervening night of December 31 and Janu- ary 1 last and names of 1.9 crore people of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated in it.
“I would like to assure everyone that the NRC exercise is being carried out in a totally impartial, transparent and meticulous manner and will continue to be so. At every stage of the process, adequate opportunity of being heard is given to all persons. The entire process is being conducted according to law and due procedure is being followed. We will ensure that every individual gets justice and is treated in a humane manner. All individuals will have sufficient opportunity for all remedies available under the law,” said Singh.
The home minister also stressed on the fact that the NRC that will be published on July 30 is still a draft.
“After draft publication, adequate opportunity for claims and objections will be available. All claims and objections will be duly examined. Adequate opportunity of being heard will be given before disposal of claims and objections. Only thereafter, final NRC will be published,” said Singh.
He added that any person not satisfied with the outcome of his/ her claims and objections could appeal in the Foreigner’s Tribunal.
“Thus, there is no question of anyone being put in a detention centre after the publication of NRC,” he said.
The minister also said one is allowed to take law into their hands and all possible arrangements were being made to ensure the safety of the people of the state. “There is no reason for panic or fear. No person will be allowed to be harassed. Central Government will provide all necessary help to the government of Assam in this regard,” he said.
To prove one’s citizenship under the process of the NRC verification drive, a resident has to either link one’s relation to a family member whose name figures in the NRC of 1951 or to any of the state’s electoral rolls till 1971.