NEW DELHI, March 11 � Miffed by Centre�s silence on the issue of reviewing the notification on cut-off date for establishing status of citizenship, the Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF) on Thursday called for urgent Central intervention.
A four-member delegation of AUDF led by its president, Badruddin Ajmal and comprising its two convenors Hafeez Rashid Choudhury and Nipendra Chandra Saha met the Prime Minister and submitted a memorandum demanding cancellation of the November 9 notification issued by the Home Ministry.
�We are satisfied by the response of the Prime Minister, who has assured us that he would take up the issue with the Home Ministry,� Rashid Choudhury told this newspaper.
As part of the measure to update the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC), the Home Ministry had issued the notification stating NRIC of 1951 and electoral rolls prior to 1971 i.e 1966 be used to establish the status of citizenship.
Though the State Government had taken up the issue with the Central Government, so far there has been no response to the plea.
AUDF has argued that since Assam Accord had agreed to 1971 as the cut-off date, the electoral rolls of the same year be used to establish citizenship.
Meanwhile, the arrival of the AUDF delegation has also heightened political activity, with a section of the Congress-men looking for an understanding ahead of the Rajya Sabha polls.
Hafeez Rashid Choudhury said that they are firm on supporting an Opposition candidate. �Discussions are going on, if they put up a common candidate, it would be acceptable to all,� he said.
