GUWAHATI, July 19 - Taking note of the situation in Assam arising out of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updating process, a leading human rights organization has urged the governments at the Centre and in the State to uphold their constitutional obligations to ensure �the safety and security of all, without fear or favour.��
�The eyes of the country and many abroad are on India as we navigate these complex and challenging tasks with firmness and dignity, while protecting the rights of the poor, weak and vulnerable,� said a statement issued today by the executive committee of the India headquarters of the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI).
Reports from Assam reflect deep anxieties and confusion in the run-up to the publication of the second draft of the NRC and its possible fallout, it said. There have also been articles and broadcasts in the media �which have been tendentious and stoke fears and tension, especially in terms of majority versus minority,� CHRI said while urging the media to report with balance and a sense of proportion.
Urging the Government of India to uphold its international obligations, including to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDR) to which it is a signatory, and the State government to provide safety and security to all, the CHRI called upon CSOs, students and literary, cultural and professional associations to bear in mind the Article 21 of the Constitution, which declares that �No person shall be deprived of his life of liberty except by due process.�
