Assam Bengali Organisations Demand Govt to Clear Stand on NRC & CAB

Kokrajhar, November 5, 2019:

Bengali organisations of Assam’s Kokrajhar district have sought the government's clear stand on citizenship exercises, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB).

Four major organisations, namely, the All Assam Bengali Youth Students’ Federation, National Liberation Front of Assam (Pro Talk), All Assam Ex Bengal Tiger Force Jana Kalyan Samiti and Kokrajhar District Committee, have submitted a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal seeking a clear stand on NRC and CAB.

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In the MoU, they have sought a clear reason as to why NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela was allowed to go scot-free despite the NRC blunder. They further questioned the Supreme Court of India’s role in the NRC. They have demanded that the Government should release the name of the Monitor who was evaluating the whole process of NRC without being present in Assam.

They have also claimed that the people of the state were leading a peaceful life during the tenure of Congress and Asom Gana Parishad (AGP). They criticized the present government saying that it has ‘failed miserably’ in protecting the life and property of the people and maintaining law-and-order in the state.

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The organisations have held the present government responsible for the serious breach of peace and tranquility in Assam. It said that the unfortunate Dhola killings, death of Bengali Hindus in Goalpara Detention Camp and many more have happened only under the current regime.

“To be very frank and honest, we had never noticed these types of unfortunate incidents during the tenure of Congress and AGP governments, there was no sense of insecurity and people of the state were more or less leading a peaceful life,” they stated in the MoU.

“We are being harassed because we are Bengalis. Despite having valid documents, our people have been excluded from the NRC. Assam Legend Bhupen Hazarika himself said that if people don’t care about each other, who would?” said one of the members.

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