Bengali-Hindus being harassed in the name of D-voter and NRC: All Assam Bengali Youth Students’ Federation

A Correspondent

TANGLA: Echoing the distress of the Bengali Hindus of the State who are allegedly being harassed and hounded in the name of NRC objections and D-voter issue, the All Assam Bengali Youth Students’ Federation (AABYSF) has claimed that certain vested circles have raised false objections against linguistic minority communities included in the draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) with the sole motive of harassing the poverty-stricken genuine Bengali Hindu citizens.

The complete draft published in July, 2018 had excluded 40.07 lakh of the 3.29 crore applicants. A window ending December 31, 2018 was provided for those left to file claims for re-inclusion. Citizens who suspected foreigners got into the list were also allowed to file objections within the same period.

Addressing a press conference in the office of the student body here at Tangla in Udalguri district on Wednesday, the president of AABYSF, Kamal Choudhury said, “It is quite unfortunate and baffling that poverty-stricken Hindu Bengalis are being harassed in the name of claims and objections in NRC by some vested circles.” He further stated that those who had filed objections were currently not coming forward for the hearing, raising question marks on the credibility and the authenticity of such objections. “It is clear that certain vested interest groups have made such objections against genuine Indian citizens to derail the ongoing NRC update exercise,’ he said. He further stated that Bengali Hindus had not only contributed to the freedom struggle but had also laid down their lives in the freedom movement but the community, which had embraced the culture and language of the State, was paying the price of residing in a State which had been meted out inhumane harassment in the name of NRC and D-voters’ issue.

Referring to the arrest of some declared foreigners from various parts of Baksa and Udalguri on Wednesday, the student leader stated that the genuine Bengali Hindu citizens who cannot afford legal expenses to contest the cases despite having proof of citizenship had been declared foreigners by tribunals on ex-parte judgements. They were being meted out inhumane torture, their houses were intruded by border police at midnight and they were arrested, he alleged.

Choudhury said, “Many of such detainees get relief from High Court and Supreme Court which overrule the judgements and declare them bonafide Indian citizens. But this requires money and time. Who will compensate them for the ordeal they have to undergo?”

“If such unwarranted harassment continues, we will immediately seek the intervention of the President of India and the Governor and we will be forced to hit the streets against the detrimental policies and hypocrisy of the government,” Choudhury added.

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