GUWAHATI, Sept 5 - One major part of the process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) of 1951 has been completed with the submission of application forms and the Government of India should depute Central observers to closely monitor the second and most vital phase, that is, verification of the application forms. This was the view of the All Assam Students� Union (AASU), which is closely monitoring the process of updating the NRC.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, the chief adviser of the AASU, Samujjal Bhattacharya said that the verification of the documents submitted by the applicants would be the most vital phase of the NRC update process. He pointed out that the Election Commission always sends Central observers to ensure free and fair elections. Similarly, the Government of India should send Central observers to ensure that the process of verification of applications and documents is carried out without any foul play by anyone. The officials engaged in the process should also realise the fact that they would be doing a great national duty by ensuring that no foreign national can include his or her name in the NRC by providing false or forged documents, Bhattacharya said.
The AASU chief adviser pointed out that the preparation of a correct NRC is vital for the protection of the indigenous people of Assam in the face of unabated infiltration of foreign nationals and the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of all the districts should ensure the security of the officials to be engaged in the process of the verification of documents.
The AASU has congratulated the people of the State for coming out to submit their application forms for inclusion of names in the updated NRC. People even braved rough terrain and inclement weather to submit application forms. At many places, educated youths came out on their own to help others to fill up the forms. In the hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao, people living in the interior places even walked more than a day to submit their application forms. Even heavy rains and floods did not deter the people of the State from coming out to submit application forms, he added. The response from the tea tribes was also very positive.
