Supreme Court's Sudden Decision to Transfer NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela Creates Panic in Assam

Guwahati, October 18, 2019:

The Supreme Court on Friday transferred the Assam coordinator of the National Register of Citizens, Prateek Hajela, to Madhya Pradesh. However, the reason for his transfer was not disclosed. Hajela's transfer has drawn a hue-and-cry from the many indigenous organizations of the State.

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The Assam Public Works (APW), ruing Hajela's transfer, stated that at a time when many indigenous Assamese have been deprived of their citizenship rights and many Bangladeshis have been included in the NRC, the decision to transfer Hajela, who turned the NRC into a circus, is highly deplorable. Aabhijeet Sharma, the President of the body, stated "This decision is a certificate to absolve Hajela of his crimes. Although we want him to leave the NRC, we want him answer for his corrupt practices first."

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Reacting to this All Assam Minority Students' Union (AAMSU), "We respect the decision, but at the same time, we are baffled that he (Hajela) has been transferred midway through. He should have seen the NRC process through to the end. This indicates that the NRC will be slowed down because of this decision." Rahman also urged Hajela to guide the Assam Government through the process so that it can come to fruitful end.

It may be mentioned here that the NRC Co-ordinator has come under fire from many quarters, with both members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and leaders of indigenous organizations turning down heavily on Haleja for alleged discrepancies in the process. Hajela had also come under fire from minority organizations for alleged 'harassment'.

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