AGP dissatisfied with final NRC list

Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), a member of the ruling alliance in Assam, on Saturday expressed dissatisfaction over the final NRC in the state and said there is scope for its review in the Supreme Court, which supervised the updation process.

The number of exclusions appear to be "ridiculously small", AGP president and state Agriculture Minister Atul Bora said.

The National Register of Citizens, which validates the Indian citizens of Assam, has been updated on the basis of Assam Accord's clause of detecting, deleting and deporting foreigners but very few suspected illegal immigrants have been left out, he told newsmen here.

"We (AGP) are not at all happy about it (the exclusions). The figure of 19,06,657 exclusions in the final NRC is too less and we just cannot accept it ... There is scope for its review in the Supreme Court," the AGP leader said.

Bora said, "The people of Assam had hoped for a free and fair NRC but it now seems that the very existence of the Assamese will be further threatened".

Several central and state leaders had over time asserted in Parliament and various state Assemblies that the number of foreigners in Assam could range from thirty lakh to fifty lakh, he claimed adding "Against this backdrop it is difficult to accept the figures published in the final NRC."

The AGP was formed by All Assam Students Union which had spearheaded the six-year-long Assam agitation from 1979 to drive out illegal foreigners from the state. AASU was a signatory to the Assam Accord.

AASU too has expressed unhappiness over the final NRC and has said it will appeal to the Supreme Court to remove all the faults and discrepancies in final NRC.

"We were involved in the whole process since the beginning. The signing of the Assam Accord was possible only after 855 people were martyred", he added.

AGP will hold discussions and chalk out its future course of action regarding a review of the NRC in Supreme Court, he added.