GUWAHATI, June 7 - With the date of publication of the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) drawing closer, the Director General of Assam Police, Kula Saikia has appealed to all sections of people to cooperate with the process so that peace and tranquillity is maintained in the society. At the same time, he warned that any trouble monger would be dealt with severely as per the provisions of the laws of the land.
Talking to The Assam Tribune, Saikia said that teams of senior officials would try to reach out to as many districts as possible in the coming days to review the security scenario and to instill confidence in the minds of the people. He said that the officials have also been asked to launch an awareness drive to remove confusion from the minds of the people. Even after the publication of the draft NRC, there would be enough scope for filing of claims and objections and no Indian citizen should be worried by any propaganda, he added.
A team of senior officials comprising the Chief Secretary and DGP yesterday reviewed the security scenario in four lower Assam districts in a meeting with the officials of the district administration, Army and paramilitary forces Bongaigaon. The meeting also chalked out strategies to deal with any possible law and order situation after the publication of the final draft of the NRC. Teams of senior officials will visit other districts in the days to come to review the security scenario and to chalk out strategies to deal with any possible disturbance. The aim will be to reach out to as many districts as possible before the publication of the final draft of the NRC on June 30, Saikia added.
The Centre has already deployed 85 companies of additional forces in Assam to ensure that the process of updating the NRC is completed peacefully. During the recent meeting chaired by the Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh to review the security situation in the State, the State Government sought more forces to maintain law and order after the publication of the final draft of the NRC and the Centre has assured to send extra forces. However, it is still not decided how many companies of extra forces would be sent and the State Government is hopeful that adequate forces would be available in the State at the time of publication of the final draft of the citizenship document.
The district police forces have been directed to identify the vulnerable locations and potential trouble mongers. Strict action would be taken against any trouble maker and rumour mongers as per the provisions of the law, said the DGP. He also said that the police station level citizens' committees and the VDPs have been activated so that no one can create tension in any part of the State.
With social media becoming a major tool for rumour mongers, the DGP said that a close watch is being maintained on the cyber space. Teams of police personnel have been formed in every district to closely monitor the social media round the clock and action would be taken against anyone trying to misuse the social media to create tension in the society.
Replying to a question whether the police apprehends any law and order problem because of the agitation launched by different organizations against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the DGP pointed out that the agitations have been peaceful so far but the police and security forces are keeping a close watch on the situation.
