Coordination Committee demands publication of final draft of NRC
No reason for RGI to keep the updated NRC in cold storage: Coordination Committee against CAA
The committee also noted that the publication of the final draft of the NRC will be hailed by all sections of people, except those politically driven to oppose it.
Guwahati, Nov 2: Demanding the publication of the final draft of the NRC, the Coordination Committee Against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Assam has moved the Registrar General of India (RGI).
In a letter signed by its chairman, Dr. Hiren Gohain, and chief coordinator, Deben Tamuly, the committee stated that there is no reason for the RGI to keep the updated NRC in cold storage, and it needs to be published without any further delay.
"At the order of the Supreme Court and under its monitoring, the NRC was updated in Assam, and the final draft was submitted to you on August 31, 2019. Unfortunately, the draft was not published, and rejection slips were not issued reportedly because of objections filed in the Supreme Court by certain organisations, including the state government, praying for reverification in certain areas, which were rejected by the SC. The NRC was updated on the basis of a cut-off date of March 25, 1971. The Supreme Court, in its judgement relating to clause 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, has upheld it. We, therefore, feel that there is no reason for RGI to keep the updated NRC in cold storage," the letter read.
The committee also noted that the publication of the final draft of the NRC will be hailed by all sections of people, except those politically driven to oppose it.
In another letter, written to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the committee also pointed out the matter, citing that "At the order and monitoring of SC, the NRC was updated, and the final draft of the NRC was submitted to RGI on August 31, 2019. But, unfortunately, RGI to date has not taken effective steps to implement it.".
In the letter to the Chief Justice of India, the committee also expressed gratitude to him over the recent judgement upholding clause 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955. It said the judgement will go a long way in resolving long-standing public squabbles in Assam.
Addressing the media, Dr. Gohain raised the demand regarding the NRC. The committee further announced that it will also move the President of India in this regard.
Apart from the issue, the committee expressed strong resentment over the relocation of the statue of Lakshminath Bezbarua from the Guwahati Club rotary for fly-over construction.
Terming it an attack on the pride of the Assamese people, Dr. Gohain urged all the people and organisations to raise their voices against the move. He said the people of Guwahati will not accept the move under any condition.
Writer Prabhat Bora, Jyotiprasad Agarwala's daughters Satyashree Das and Gyanashree Pathak, former MLA Munin Mahanta, and many others also opposed the move of the state government. They also slammed the government over the proposed chopping of old trees at Dighalipukhuri.
They urged the government to reconsider the decision and save the identity and heritage of Assam and the Assamese community. They also urged everyone to raise their voices in this connection.
By
Staff Reporter
