STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Only two days are to go for the publication of the final NRC in Assam. However, Dispur seems to be clueless about an indefinite number of people of the State who have so far been lying outside the ambit of NRC. Such people, purported to be mostly indigenous tribes of the State, have not applied for the inclusion of their names in the NRC because of ignorance or otherwise. The State government does not have the exact number of such people. This is not all. Over three lakh NRC applicants opted not to claim for the inclusion of their names in the final NRC after their names had not figured in the complete draft NRC. According to sources, Dispur did seek the details of these over three lakh NRC applicants from the NRC authority, but the latter hasn’t given the list as yet. The State government is clueless on the would-be fate of such people as well.
What’s the route map for such people – those who haven’t applied at all and those who haven’t claimed inclusion of their names after not figuring in the complete draft NRC? The general view is that they may be clubbed with other ‘NRC left out’ all of whom have to knock the doors of the foreigners tribunals only.
Another daunting task will appear on September 1, 2019 when some lakhs of people will turn ‘D’ voters (‘doubtful’ voters). Many of such people have been working in various establishments, including government departments. Their wards have also been reading in various educational institutions in the State and outside it. The tag ‘D’ to be added to them may even demean their social status, and its negative effects know no bounds.
From September 1, 2019 NRC left outs will beeline before only 57 FTs that will recommend the cases to the other FTs that are quite new ones. At least a month time is needed for such new FTs to have all infrastructures. There is every likelihood that the first fortnight of September will witness chaos due to the heavy rush of people left out of NRC. The major question is: Are the 57 FTs well-equipped with men and mechanism to tackle such a heavy rush? That is what the government has to rack its brains. This is yet another challenge for the government.