GUWAHATI, June 28 - Eminent intellectual Dr Hiren Gohain today asked the people to remain vigilant against any provocative propaganda or malicious design aimed at creating social unrest after the publication of the second and final draft of the NRC.
Speaking on behalf of a joint coordination committee of the Forum Against Citizenship Act Amendment Bill and the Left Democratic Manch, Assam, Dr Gohain also criticised the State government for making some unsolicited statements that could make the situation volatile by creating confusion among the masses.
�We are not sure whether the final draft would be published on June 30. In any case, the citizens not having their names in both the drafts would have the mechanism to get their names registered through some other mechanisms. But, we fear that some unscrupulous elements are on the look-out for an opportunity to create chaotic scenes over this issue,� he said.
Deben Bhattacharyya of the Left Democratic Manch said that the statement regarding the possible law and order situation in the State after the NRC draft publication and the news of deployment of additional security forces from the Centre to control such a situation is creating unnecessary fear and confusion among the common people.
�The government must do all that is needed to maintain law and order. But, by publicising about such possibilities in the media, it is sending out a wrong message,� he opined.
The Forum also criticised NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela for making comments relating to law and order, which, according to the Forum, is out of the ambit of his work.
�Being the NRC coordinator, Hajela should not comment upon the matters of the Home Department. A similar comment regarding the use of drones in the char areas of the State is quite judgemental and unsolicited,� Dr Gohain pointed out.
�We want to appeal to the people not to fall prey to any divisive agenda or any attempt to provoke a Hindu-Muslim or Assamese-Bengali clash in the State. If people remain cautious, no outer force can succeed in spreading hatred,� added Udayaditya Bharali.
