Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday that the document to be published on July 30 was only a draft of Assam’s National Register of Citizens, and people would get adequate opportunity to make claims and objections. In an attempt to allay fears of exclusion, Singh said the final draft will be prepared in an impartial, transparent and meticulous manner.
“There is no reason for panic or fear,” Singh said on Twitter. “No person will be allowed to be harassed. We will ensure that every individual gets justice and is treated in a humane manner.”
Singh said the National Register of Citizens, a list of Assam’s citizens, was being updated in accordance with the Assam Accord signed on August 15, 1985. “All individuals will have sufficient opportunity for all remedies available under the law,” Singh wrote. “At every stage of the process, adequate opportunity is given to all persons to be heard.”
The final register would be published only after examining all claims and objections, he said.
Assam began to update the National Register of Citizens in 2015 to create a definitive list of citizens of the state. The first draft was published on January 1, and has verified 1.9 crore people out of the 3.29 crore who applied. The final draft will be published on July 30. The exercise is aimed at identifying illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.
The home minister said the Citizenship Rules allow a person to appeal in the Foreigner’s Tribunal. He also said that no one will be put in detention centres. “The central government will provide all necessary help to the state government of Assam in this regard,” he added.
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