Indian or not? Over 40 lakh lives in Assam faces identity crisis over NRC draft release

The names of over 40 lakh people did not figure in the updated National Register of Citizens the complete draft of which was published in Assam on Monday, 30 July 2018.

In the final draft released, the list of India's citizens in Assam, around 4 million people were not featured, leaving them on edge to prove their Indian nationality. In this image: Muslim women stand in a queue to check if their names are included in the 

In this image, a Muslim man sits near security personnel as he arrives to check if his name is included in the National Register of Citizens at a draft center in Mayoung, about 55 kilometers (34 miles) east of Gauhati, India, Monday, July 30, 2018. | AP

Many in the state, making Assam their homes for decades have suddenly found themselves in dire need of proving their identity and a risk of being deported. In image: Muslims arrive in a country boat to check if their names are included in the National Register of Citizens at a draft center in Bur Gaon village, 70 kilometers (44 miles) east of Gauhati, India, Monday, July 30, 2018. | AP

However, the northeastern state said that since the list is not the final one, people who are not included can make claims and objections. In image: A man walks past security personnel as he arrives to check if his name is included in the National Register of Citizens at a draft center in Mayoung, about 55 kilometers (34 miles) east of Gauhati, India, Monday, July 30, 2018. | AP

The part draft, published on December 31 last year, had the names of 1.9 crore people. In image: People check their names on the final draft of the state's National Register of Citizens after it was released at a NRC Seva Kendra Hatigaon in Guwahati. (Photo | PTI)

Later, the cases of 1.5 lakh people, whose names had figured in it, were kept in abeyance. The citizenship fate of 1.39 crore applicants was to be decided in the complete draft. In image: People check if their names are included in the National Register of Citizens at a draft center in Mayoung, about 55 kilometers (34 miles) east of Gauhati, India, Monday, July 30, 2018. | AP

However, Registrar General of India Sailesh and NRC state coordinator Prateek Hajela refused to give figures of the complete draft. In image: Sailesh and Prateek Hajela NRC State Coordinator l addresses a press conference on the final draft of the state's National Register of Citizens at NRC office Bhangagarh in Guwahati on Monday July 30 2018. | PTI

TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP-led central government of resorting to 'vote-bank politics' with regard to the NRC draft and said 'Indian citizens have become refugees' in their own land. (File | PTI)

People queue outside NRC Seva Kendra to check names of themselves and family members in a draft for National Register of Citizens (NRC). (File photo | PTI)

Muslims stand in a queue to check if their names are included in the National Register of Citizens at a draft center in Bur Gaon village, 70 kilometers (44 miles) east of Gauhati, India, Monday, July 30, 2018. | AP

People wait to check their names on the final draft of the state's National Register of Citizens after it was released at an NRC Seva Kendra in Tezpur on Monday July 30 2018. | PTI