CAA panel hits back at NRC ex-coordinator’s ‘40% foreigners’ claim

Guwahati, July 30: The Co-ordination Committee Against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Assam has countered the claims of former NRC State coordinator Hitesh Dev Sarma that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) contains names of lakhs of foreigners.

A statement issued by chairman of the committee Dr Hiren Gohain and its chief co-ordinator Deben Tamuly termed Dev Sarma’s assertions “outrageous and politically motivated,” accusing him of attempting to discredit a document that was finalized under the close scrutiny of the Supreme Court.

“He asserts that the present NRC is deeply flawed and contains 40 per cent individuals of foreign origin. Dev Sarma claims that he had arrived at this conclusion after a sample survey. Interestingly, his entire conclusion is based on one centre, i.e., Dalgaon,” read the statement.

“This is an outrageous conclusion and designed not only to sabotage a painstaking and fairly objective survey completed after thorough examination of family trees but also certificates held acceptable by the Supreme Court,” it added.

“There is no doubt whatsoever that Dev Sarma is singing the tune of the ruling party with flagrant Hindu chauvinist bias. He is trying to please his masters by inflating the number of foreigners in Assam,” it further said.

The committee also alleged that Dev Sarma has been tirelessly spreading defamatory canards about the former co-ordinator and demanding a complete revision of the already completed register, which had the stamp of approval by the Supreme Court.

“It is learnt that all the petitions seeking complete or partial re-verification of NRC have been dismissed by the Supreme Court,” read the statement.

“We, therefore, resolutely oppose this nefarious move, backed by fascist chauvinist forces to annul this valuable document and further demand that the Home Department at the Centre end the pointless debate by adopting it undeservedly,” the committee added.

- By Staff Reporter