Jamaat-e-Islami Hind expresses apprehensions over final NRC list

Jamaat-e-Islami Hind expresses apprehensions over final NRC list

New Delhi: Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) has expressed grave apprehension over the entire NRC process in Assam and voiced concern over the fact that nearly two million people have been excluded from the final list.

In an address to the media, JIH’s Community Affairs - Secretary Malik Mohtasim Khan said: “the final list of NRC-Assam has been released in which almost 19 lakh people have been excluded. We appreciate that the process was carried out under the supervision of the Supreme Court. Had it not been the case then the number of people excluded from the final list would have been much bigger. It is highly regrettable that nearly two million people have been excluded from the final list. We want them to be patient and to reapply with the necessary evidence and documentation.”

The JIH Secretary cautioned: “When the names of the son of Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (former President of India) and another Assamese Kargil war veteran - Sanaullah could not find a place in the final NRC list, you can imagine what kind of errors and mistakes that are happening during the data collection process. For acceptance into the NRC, the onus of proof (to prove citizenship) was the responsibility of the applicant. However, genuine citizens, who are impoverished and could not maintain proper records because of their homes being exposed to the floods, etcetera, are impacted and now face the brunt of being branded as foreigners. According to reports, most of those who could not make it into the NRC were due to minor inaccuracies in their documents.”

Mr. M.M. Khan continued: “The entire NRC process is politically motivated. The BJP, the Congress and Assamese regional parties – all are opposing the NRC result. The fascist forces are trying to communalise the NRC issue. Rendering two million citizens stateless is damaging India’s image in the international community. We demand that the entire NRC process should be stopped. Those excluded should not lose heart, they must appeal and re-apply by submitting the required documents. They have 120 days to appeal before the Foreigner’s Tribunal. If they are not happy with the tribunal’s verdict, they can go to the Guwahati High Court and even the Supreme Court. We also appeal to all justice loving people of India to help the people of Assam. We oppose extending the NRC process to other parts of the country. The Government should focus on core issues of welfare and development.”