Stage set for publication of complete NRC draft tomorrow

29 July 2018:

The stage is now all set for publication of “complete draft” of National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Monday that will decide the fate of citizenship of 1.39 crore people in Assam.

And with tension brewing up in certain areas, especially in minority-dominated areas in both Barak and Brahmaputra valleys, the Central and State governments are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order post publication of the draft.

Additional Central paramilitary forces have been brought into the State to assist the police and the forces have already fanned out to sensitive areas. As per reports, over 20,000 Central forces are already in the State.

Vigil has been mounted on all NRC Seva Kendras (NSK) too to ensure that miscreants do not play mischief.

The Sarbananda Sonowal government has also convened an all-party meeting in Dispur on Sunday to ensure calm both in the run-up to and post publication of the NRC draft.

No untoward incident has been reported so far from any part of the State, but both New Delhi and Dispur are leaving nothing to chance.

Published on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1, the first “part draft” of NRC decided the citizenship status of 1.9 crore of the 3.29 crore applicants. The complete draft of NRC to be published on Monday will decide the fate of the remaining 1.39 crore people.

The final NRC draft is expected to be published at 9.45 am and the list will be displayed across all NSKs, besides being available online.

The authorities are also trying to dispel fear of anyone being declared a foreigner automatically on his or her name not figuring in the final NRC draft by asserting that sufficient time would be given to file claims and objections.

Considered one of the largest exercises of its kind carried out in any corner of the world so far by any government to determine domicile status of its citizens, the NRC of 1951 in Assam is being updated by Registrar General of India along with the Office of the State Coordinator, NRC Assam as per the directive of Supreme Court and under its strict monitoring.

And with less than 24 hours remaining for publication of the complete draft, neighbouring States like Meghalaya, Nagaland and Arunachal too are facing anxious moments as many organisations are apprehending large scale influx of alleged illegal immigrants from Assam. They fear that those whose names don’t figure in complete NRC draft might move into their States.

Under pressure from these organisations, the neighbouring State governments are reported to have mounted special vigil on the borders.