GUWAHATI, Oct 25 - Blaming the political parties and various organisations for the �failure� of the NRC in Assam, Prabrajan Virodhi Manch (PVM) convenor Upamanyu Hazarika has said that many of the crucial facts related to the NRC were not brought to the notice of the apex court by the parties involved in the
process.
�Success has many fathers, failure is an orphan, and that is today the fate of the NRC. Its main protagonist, the State BJP leadership, not only disowns the NRC but seeks to apportion the blame to the Supreme Court and NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela,� Hazarika said.
The PVM, which is fighting against illegal influx into the State, stated that in terms of the Citizenship Act 1955 and the Rules of 2003, the primary and sole responsibility for updating the NRC rests with the government. Because the earlier Congress government stalled the NRC, the Supreme Court, on a petition filed by the Assam Public Works, started monitoring implementation of the NRC, setting timelines and monitoring the progress through virtually monthly hearings. In the proceedings, the government and the AASU were represented, apart from other organisations. But they now seek to put the blame on the Supreme Court and Prateek Hajela.
The PVM further added that after publication of the draft NRC on July 31, 2018, the Supreme Court immediately directed a 10 per cent sample reverification. It alleged that the NRC Coordinator did not comply with the court�s order but on some specious reasoning informed the court that 27 per cent sample reverification had been carried out. This assertion was not countered by
anyone.
�From the publication of the draft NRC to the final list, a period of 13 months, no party to the court proceedings filed or placed any fact before the Supreme Court in justification for reverification. It is only APW which filed an affidavit before the court which also included a detailed representation made by me to the Central and State governments pointing out glaring discrepancies and fraud in the NRC. The State government filed applications on the eve of publication of the final list seeking reverification but placing no fact in support of their demand,� the PVM mentioned.
The Manch further alleged that during the entire 13-month period, the State government and various leaders were busy with introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Bill as a large number of Hindu migrants had been excluded from the NRC. They were not bothered with the large number of Bangladeshis who had otherwise got their names included in the NRC.
