On eve of NRC publication, Assam police appeal to people not to believe in rumours

They said the government has ensured adequate safeguards for people, whose name may not appear in the final NRC.

Security measures across the state have been stepped up with 144 CrPC imposed in various parts of Assam to maintain peace and public order during publication of the National Register of Citizens touted as the protection shield of the indigenous people from illegal Bangladeshis in the state and proof of Assamese identity.

Assam police in a tweet on Thursday said:"The government has ensured adequate safeguards for people whose name may not appear in the final NRC. Don't believe rumours, as some elements are trying to create confusion in society. Safety of citizens is our top priority."

For avoiding any untoward situation, the police force also issued a five-point advisory that said: "Non-inclusion of a persons name in NRC does not amount to his/her being declared a foreigner; Every individual left out from the final NRC can appeal to the Foreigners Tribunals(FT).

"The time limit for filing appeals in FTs has been increased from 60 to 120 days; government will provide legal aid to those needy people who have been excluded from the NRC, through the District Legal Service Authorities; besides an increased number of FTs are being established at convenient locations".

Meanwhile, the Assam government has made all efforts to strengthen the security apparatus during the pre and post publication of the NRC with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on August 23 reviewing the law and order situation of the state in a meeting here with the Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) of all districts.

The CM had directed them to maintain close relations with the influential people and opinion makers in the society to ensure no misunderstanding regarding the NRC process remained among the people.

Sonowal also instructed the DCs and SPs to take help of public representatives like MLAs, Zilla Parishad members, Panchayat members and dedicated NGOs, etc., to make all sections of the people aware about the real implications of NRC process, which was being monitored by Supreme Court and legal ways which would be available to the people excluded from the list.

Referring to a statement of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), he asserted that even people excluded from the NRC would not be treated as foreigners and Foreigners Tribunals are the ultimate authority in declaring a person foreigner after a stipulated process.

The chief minister has also said that none should give importance to misinformation on the National Register of Citizens as the state government has been abiding by the directions of the supreme court on the process of updation of the NRC.

Appealing all to maintain peace, Sonowal said, "A government is there in Assam to look after people's interest.

All are living here with unity and honour. Assam is a very peaceful state. We are confident that all sections of society will come forward to maintain peace and tranquility for all times to come".

Meanwhile, the district administrations across the state have ordered imposition of Section 144 CrPC in vulnerable areas, including in Guwahati, ahead of the publication of the NRC with a view to maintain peace and public order.

This has been done in cognizance of some specified and unspecified persons,groups of persons or

organisations/Associations are likely to disturb normal functioning of offices, movement of public and traffic flow in those areas as specified and unspecified persons,groups of persons or organisations/Associations are planning to carry out agitation/ demonstration/shouting of slogans in the vulnerable areas.

In Guwahati Section 144 CrPC was imposed in Dispur, where the state Secretariat and Assembly complexes are located, Bhangagarh, Basistha, Hatigaon, Sonapur and Khetri police station areas.

The order has been clamped to prohibite assembly of more than five persons, agitation, demonstration, procession inciting communal violence, carrying of arms/ ammunition/ explosive substances/ weapon of any naturein any public placers or vehicles including two or three wheelers, gambling in public places and use of loud speakers.

The order shall remain in force from August 28 until further notice.

Assam, which had faced influx of people from Bangladesh since the early 20th Century, is the only state having an NRC that was first prepared in 1951.

According to the NRC website, the "National Register of Citizens is the register containing names of Indian citizens . The only time that a NRC was prepared was in 1951 when after conduct of the Census of 1951,the NRC was prepared by recording particulars of all the persons enumerated during that Census."