ASSAM: CONTROVERSY OVER AL JAJEERA REPORT ON NRC

Controversy shrouds on a report filed by Al Jajeera on the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updation process in Assam which was filed by senior journalist Subir Bhaumik. The report quoting State Coordinator, NRC, Assam Prateek Hajela stated that “nearly five million people in India’s eastern state of Assam face the threat of deportation after a top government official said they have failed to provide documentation proving that their families lived there prior to 1971”. The report also quoted Prateek Hajela stating that “some 4.8 million people in Assam "have failed to provide appropriate legacy documents" in advance of the preliminary list's publication on Saturday-the second time such a list is being published, the first being at the beginning of the year”.

Speaking to INSIDENE, Prateek Hajela said that he has been falsely quoted and he did not give any such statement to Subir Bhaumik. He added that he never had any conversation with Subir Bhaumik regarding NRC.

In spite of several attempts by INSIDENE to get in touch with Subir Bhaumik for his comment, he could not be contacted as his mobile phone was found to be switched off.