Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

Indigenous bodies want NRC work to resume

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, July 30 � Twenty five organisations of the indigenous people of the State, including the All Assam Students� Union (AASU), today demanded continuation of the implementation of the pilot projects for updating the 1951 National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Barpeta and Chaygaon Revenue Circles of the State. They also demanded urgent measures to initiate the process of updating the document in the rest of the State too.

AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharyya told newspersons at a press conference here this evening that the organisations, which held a joint meeting in the city at the initiative of the AASU, also warned that in case the process of updating the document is not initiated, they would be forced to go for a massive agitation.

They said that they would not accept suspension of the NRC updating process on any ground. The forms prepared for updating the document are free from any flaw. It is the duty of the Government to explain this pro forma to the people in simple language, they said.

The organisations also warned not to indulge in communal politics on the issue of updating the NRC.

He also apprised the media that the representatives of the 25 organisations were of the opinion that the pre-March 25, 1971 entrants should extend cooperation to the NRC updating process and there is no need to enumerate the people through door to door visits for updating the document. For, the representatives of the organisations who attended today�s meeting observed that the names of the descendants of the pre-March 25, 1971 entrants would automatically enter the document, Bhattacharyya said.

Mega-hydel projects: The organisations also voiced their firm opposition to the proposal for setting up mega hydel projects in the NE region. They also demanded steps to treat the State�s flood and erosion as national problems and effective steps to solve them.

Going by the recommendations of the expert group that studied the downstream impact of the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Power Project, the works on the project should be abandoned once for all and no attempt should be taken to construct any mega dam on the foothill areas of the Himalayas, they demanded.

They also announced that the ongoing anti-mega dam agitation would continue.

The representatives of the organisations will meet the Prime Minister and Home Minister, besides the Governor of the State before August 15 next, to take up the issues, Bhattacharyya said.

Moreover, the representatives of these organisations will also meet on August 20 and 21 to discuss the issues concerning the NRC updating process, ethnic problems, mega dams and other common problems facing the indigenous peoples of the State. They will also chalk out their course of action on the issues, Bhattacharyya said.

The organisations, which sent their representatives to today�s meeting, included the All Assam Tribal Sangha, All Assam Tribal Youth League, Mising Mimag Kebang, All Bodo Students� Union, All Rabha Students� Union, Takam Mising Porin Kebang, All Tiwa Students� Union, Tiwa Yuba-Chattra Parishad, All Tai Ahom Students� Union, All Dimasa Students� Union, Assam Tea Tribes Students� Union, All Koch-Rajbongshi Students� Union, Sadou Asom Matak Yuba-Chattra Sanmilan, All Assam Moran Students� Union, All Assam Deuri Students� Union, Karbi Students� Association (KSA, Karbi Anglong), All Assam Adivasi Students� Union, All Assam Chutiya Students� Union, All Assam Gorkha Students� Union, All Assam Sarania Students� Union, All Madahai Students� Union, Karbi Students� Union, NC Hills Indigenous Students� Forum and All Assam Karbi Students� Association, besides the AASU.

Next Story