Will still be treated as Indian citizen if name does not appear in NRC: Assam Chief Minister
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Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Sunday asked people to not spread rumours regarding the National Register of Citizens. Sonowal stated that there is no need for people to panic in case their names do not feature in the record.
"It has been specified by the central as well the Assam government that they can apply for it through 'claims and objections forms'," Sonowal told media.
"People shouldn't believe rumours. Even if someone's name doesn't appear in NRC, he'll be treated as an Indian citizen and never as a foreigner. No one will have to go to any detention camp. Illiterate people will be helped by Assam government to fill 'Claims and Objections' forms," Sonowal further added.
The final draft of NRC (National Register of Citizens) will be released tomorrow. People whose names do no appear in it need not worry, it has been specified by central govt&Assam govt that they can apply for it through Claims&objections forms: Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal (29.07) pic.twitter.com/7qXevViMSa
— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2018
The second and final draft of Assam's National Register of Citizens will be released by the state government today.
If the name of a resident of the state is on the list, then he or she is a citizen of Assam and therefore India if not, then he or she will have to prove his or her citizenship.
Also read: Assam's National Register of Citizens -- An explainer
People shouldn't believe rumours. Even if someone's name doesn't appear in NRC,he'll be treated as an Indian citizen&never as a foreigner. No one will have to go to any detention camp. Illiterate people will be helped by Assam govt to fill Claims&Objections forms: Assam CM(29.07) pic.twitter.com/FYSe22I9ZM
— ANI (@ANI) July 29, 2018
The Supreme Court-mandated NRC is part of Assam's efforts to identify Bangladeshi citizens living in Assam. The northeast state has had a long history of migration from neighbouring Bangladesh where the pressure of population forces people to migrate out of the country in search of a living.
NRC's first list was published on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1 which carried around 1.9 crore names out of a total of 3.29 crore residents. Close to 1.4 crore people living in Assam will find out today whether or not the feature in the list.