(LiveMint)
With Assam scheduled to issue the second draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), on 30 July, Union home minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday set out to assuage the panic that had begun to grip the state. In January, Assam released the first draft of the NRC containing 19 million names out of the state’s 32.9 million population, with panic and anxiety gripping those whose names were not part of the list.
“NRC is being updated in Assam in accordance with the Assam Accord signed on 15 August, 1985. The entire process is being carried out as per directions of the Supreme Court which is constantly monitoring the process. I will like to assure everyone that the NRC exercise is being carried out in a totally objective, transparent and meticulous manner and will continue to be so. At every stage of the process, adequate opportunity of being heard is given to all persons. The entire process is being conducted according to law and due procedure is being followed,” Singh said in a statement.
The minister also said that the central government would ensure that every “individual gets justice and is treated in a humane manner. All individuals will have sufficient opportunity for all remedies available under the law.” Even as the centre stated that the second draft was not set in stone, Singh added that “adequate opportunity for claims and objections will be available. All claims and objections will be duly examined,” before the final list is published.
