Assam govt says 'no illegals will be included in NRC'; favours 20% verification in borders

A year after the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) list was released in Assam, the state government on Monday, has affirmed that 'no illegal person will be included', while no genuine citizen will be left out. In the state's 4-day Assembly session, Assam Industry and Commerce Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said that the state govt favoured 20 percent verification of NRC list in the districts neighbouring Bangladesh and 10 percent verification in other districts. The final NRC list included 3.3 crore Assam residents, excluding 19 lakh persons.

Assam NRC: A look at one year since the Final list excluding 19 lakh people was released

Assam govt: 'No illegal to be included'

Patowary said that the State Government is committed to fulfilling all the clauses of the Assam Accord. He further said that despite a section of people opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act, not a single Bangladeshi minority citizen came to any of the 26 thousand villages in Assam. Currently, the NRC co-ordinator has reportedly not issued official notice rejecting the excluded population's citizenship due to the COVID-19 situation.

Assam NRC Final list here: 3.11 crore included, 19.06 lakh excluded

The final NRC list

On August 31, 2019, the NRC state coordinator's office released the final NRC list. 3,11,21,004 Assam residents have been found eligible, while 19,06,657 Assam residents have been found ineligible. The state coordinator stated that those not satisfied with the outcome can file an appeal before Foreigners Tribunals. Moreover, the state govt assured that those excluded do not become a 'foreigner' and that the state would provide legal aid to needy people excluded by the NRC. Those deemed 'foreigners' by the tribunals will be sent to detention camps. The NRC process under SC's supervision aimed at separating genuine Indian citizens from undocumented immigrants living in Assam, mandating a resident has to prove that they or their ancestors entered Assam before midnight on March 24, 1971.

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The final list had disappointed BJP and left most Bengali residents aghast. BJP's Assam Home Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had alleged that over 5 lakh Hindu Bengalis were excluded from the list and that they would be given citizenship by the state by 2021. Reports estimate that of the 19 lakh excluded -7 lakh were Muslims, which has led to Assam BJP, AASU oppose the process - leading to violent protests. Moreover, the BJP has batted for a nationwide NRC which has been vehemently opposed by most states.

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