The controversies around the Final Draft of Citizenship in Assam

Why has the final NRC list not been notified yet? What are the contentions of the BJP led Government of Assam?

In response to a Right to Information (RTI) application by The Hindu, the State Coordinator, National Register of Citizens (NRC), Assam said that 1032 doubtful cases in the final draft of NRC, Assam have been referred to the concerned district commissioners for necessary action. The Supreme Court monitored final draft of the NRC was published on August 31, 2019. The final citizens’ register is yet to be notified by the Registrar General of India (RGI) that works under the Union Home Ministry. The State coordinator is a Secretary rank officer of Assam government who assists the RGI as citizenship is a central subject.

The BJP Government in Assam has rejected the NRC in its current form and demanded a reverification. It has alleged that lakhs of “illegal migrants” have been included in the register while genuine citizens have been excluded. In December 2020, the State Coordinator, NRC submitted an affidavit to the Gauhati High Court containing the details of “illegal foreigners” whose names had crept into the updated list of citizens released in 2019. The RTI response obtained by The Hindu specify the number of such illegal entries in the database- 1,032. Assam based lawyer Aman Wadud said that the 2019 register is final and not supplementary. “The Supreme Court on five occasions has called the register as final. Moreover, the RGI has repeatedly asked the State Coordinator to issue rejection slips to those excluded from the NRC, but it has refused to listen to the RGI and questioned the entire SC monitored process. This is gross injustice to 19 lakh people who are waiting to prove their citizenship for more than two years,” Mr. Wadud said.