DUDHNOI (ASSAM): Ajit Rabha, 49, insists that identification of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants during updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam should be beyond religion.His emphasis stems from the Centre’s purported bid to legalise Hindu immigrants. The Rabhas — and other ethnic communities of Assam — call themselves “bhumiputra” (son of the soil). They are concerned that the proposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, if passed, will enable Hindu immigrants to become Indian citizens.
“We welcome the updation of NRC, but we strongly feel that migrants remain migrants, irrespective of religion. The government should apply the same yardstick across communities, whether Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and whatever,” Ajit Rabha, who is a trader hailing from Salpara in Goalpara district, tells Express.
The BJP appears to be maintaining a double standard. While it views Muslims as immigrants, it sees Hindus as refugees who had to flee Bangladesh because of religious persecution during Partition. There is a mixed feeling among Assam’s indigenous people on the NRC.Chittaranjan Rabha, a school teacher at Salpara, says he believes the people of Assam will get a correct NRC. But Chandrasing Kro, who belongs to the Karbi tribe and is the president of Karbi Cultural Society, says he is sceptical.“I believe we will get an NRC that is devoid of the names of immigrants. For the Rabhas and other tribal communities, losing economic opportunities to the Bangladeshis is a prime issue. The alarming rise in their population is threatening our existence,” Rabha says.Kro says the Karbis have been forced to bear the brunt of the Hindu immigrants.
“At Rongpur Matikhola area of Karbi Anglong, the settlement of the Hindu immigrants that started in the 1960s has created a lot of problems for the Karbis. We have lost not just our land to them, but also economic opportunities,” he says.Ujjal Paogam, a poet belonging to the Mishing tribe, says he is optimistic about getting a correct NRC.
“Yes, I am confident. However, NRC officials shouldn’t make any mistakes while verifying the documents of applicants. An error may make an illegal immigrant an Indian…The immigrants have to go, for they are affecting all of us economically, socially and culturally,” he says.Promod Bodo, who belongs to the Bodo tribe and is the president of All Bodo Students’ Union, says the Bodos are “confused”.
“We cannot doubt the updation of NRC as it is being done under the direct monitoring of the Supreme Court. Still, we are in a state of confusion because we have no idea what is transpiring at the political and bureaucratic levels,” he says.
The All Assam Students’ Union is demanding deportation of the immigrants, irrespective of faith. “The Assam Accord says immigrants, irrespective of religion, who came to Assam before March 24, 1971 will stay. But those who came beyond that date will be deported. The government should follow this in letter and spirit,” AASU advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya said.
Names missing in first draft
The NRC is being updated in line with the Assam Accord of 1985 which the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) had signed with the former Rajiv Gandhi government. Advisor to AASU, Samujjal Bhattacharya, has for long been vocal on updating the NRC.
However, the name of a member of his family did not figure in the list. Similarly, the list does not have the names of All Assam Minority Students’ Union president Azizur Rahman and its general secretary Ainuddin Ahmed.
There are scores of cases where the names of youngsters are included, but not that of their parents, evidently due to errors in verification of documents. The name of Bodoland Territorial Council member, Abdul Ali Mondol, has not been included in the part NRC but it has the name of his four-year-old granddaughter.
Former Congress minister Ardhendu Kumar Dey said Baruah might not consider himself to be an Indian, but the inclusion of his name in the NRC was indeed good news.