By Muslim Mirror Desk
Guwahati : Since last three years when the National Register of Citizens (NCR) procedures started not only common men but the politicians of the state are worried about its outcome . The name of 14 MPs and 15 MLAs including the All India United Democratic Front chief Badruddin Ajmal and his brother Sirajuddin Ajmal were not included in first draft of the updated NRC published on December 31 last year.
The first draft also missed out 19 million names of people along with 15 of Assam’s 126 MLAs. They included Badruddin Ajmal’s son Abdur Rahim Ajmal, who represents the AIUDF, supposed to be a pro-minority party, from the Jamunamukh constituency.
The missing list too includes Boby Bhuyan Baruah, wife of separatist Paresh Baruah, who has been operating from neighboring countries, including China, for three decades now, and their sons Ankur and Akash. Mr. Baruah leads the United National Front of Asom-Independent.
The MPs and MLAs, including the BJP’s Shiladitya Dev and Ashwini Rai Sarkar and relatives of extremist leaders are also waiting early for the final draft NRC to be published on June 30 under the supervision of the Supreme Court .
“The first list did not have my name despite my being an MLA for one term and an MP for two. The doors of the SC are open in case the name does not show up,” the AIUDF chief said a few days ago.
Though leaders are not worried, but common people worried by speculation that up to four million people, mostly Bengali Hindus and Muslims would become stateless after June 30.
“These are misplaced fears. We cannot quantify at this moment, but the number of people who might get left out would be 50,000 at most. Even then, they will get an opportunity to prove their citizenship through claims and objections,” Prateek Hajela, State NRC Coordinator, told The Hindu.
There is no end to criticizing the citizen’s registration in Asam. Every country has the right to register its citizens. It does not mean that some people are called foreigners based on group split. It is the politics of polarization of the ruling party in the name of citizen registration. It is very sad to be excluded from the draft of the civil list even if there are valid papers.