NRC: No Clarity on What Awaits the 40 Lakh People Excluded from Assam's Citizen Register
The nation-state, incapable of providing a law for those
who had lost the protection of a national government, transferred the whole
matter to the police. Hannah Arendt in 1948
Over the past three years, 3.29 crore, (32.9 million) people in Assam have submitted a bewildering array of documents to prove they are Indian citizens - a process that sounds like a routine bureau-cratic practice, but in reality has disrupted the lives of millions. On Monday, it emerged that over 12 percent, or 40 lakh, of those who applied have been excluded.
Of
these, Hajela said 2.48 lakh were persons declared foreigners by 100 tribunals
across the state, or marked doubtful voters by the election commission, and
their descendants were automatically excluded from the NRC process. In the hour-long press
conference, officials said those excluded would not be subject to punitive
action, detention or deportation — yet.
Satyendra Garg, Joint
Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, quoted Minister Rajnath Singh's assertion
last week that the latest list was a "final draft", implying the
application process had ended, but those left out could still appeal their
exclusion. "Based on this
draft, there is no question of anybody being taken to detention or foreigner's
tribunals," said Garg.
"I repeatedly
repeat that anyone who is excluded will have adequate opportunity to file
claims and objections with the NRC," said Sailesh, the Registrar General
and Census Commissioner of India. "No Indian citizen should have any fear
or panic." Yet there is little
clarity on what will finally happen to those who lose the appeals process —
called 'claims and objections' — and are termed foreigners in a country they
have lived in for decades. The Union and Assam government are silent on the
fate of those who fail to reclaim their citizenship when the process is finally
complete…
read more:
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2018/07/30/nrc-no-clarity-on-what-awaits-the-40-lakh-people-excluded-from-assams-citizen-register_a_23492200/?utm_hp_ref=in-homepage