AGARTALA, Nov 5 - Former Union minister and Congress MP Jairam Ramesh today said the NRC (National Register of Citizens) exercise has created a big humanitarian problem for the people in Assam.
�Those who have not kept their documents safely are in trouble in Assam in the aftermath of the final publication of the NRC,� Ramesh said while talking to reporters at the Congress Bhavan here after a meeting with Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee leaders on the NRC issue.
The veteran Congress leader said it was amplified that over one crore illegal migrants were residing in Assam, but now it appears that only 19 lakh people have been left out of the final list. �Those who have been left out, have not received any order from the Government about their fate. As per the guidelines, those who are left out will get 120 days� time to appeal to the competent authority after receiving the official letter. Why has this not been done yet? It has created fear among the people,� he said.
Stressing the need of doing more homework before pushing for the NRC in the entire country, Ramesh said the way the NRC exercise was carried out in Assam showed Union Home Minister Amit Shah�s �ill intention to divide the society�.
On the Citizenship Amendment Bill, Ramesh, who heads a six-member AICC team to study the pulse of the NE States in this regard, said the Congress would oppose it tooth and nail.
The former Union minister said the Bill contradicts the very spirit of Articles 14 and 23. �If the Bill is passed, there will be an adverse impact on the NE States,� he said.
Ramesh also condemned the halt to supply of free rations to Bru refugees and said it was sad that six precious lives were lost due to starvation at a time when the Food Security Act is in force in the country. The Centre should resume free rations supply to all Bru refugees immediately, he added.
