ASSAM: D VOTER NOTICES CREATING CHAOS AMONGST PUB ANKHORBARI VILLAGERS

8 July 2018:

Fighting for identity on its own state continues to thrive.

A latest revelation about the D-voters is a cause of serious concern at a time when the stage is almost set for the publication of the complete draft NRC (National Register of Citizens) on July 30 as directed by the Supreme Court meanwhile the Foreigners Tribunal released fresh new list of D voters where over 30 more families were sent doubtful notice from the Foreigners Tribunal office.

Sohrab Ali Paramanik, 41 years old; a resident of Pub Ankhorbari under Dhaligaon PS, Chirang district has been kept under Goalpara detention camp since 21 months. Family member of Sohrab alleged that they had submitted all required necessary documents which verify Sohrab's citizenship, beginning from 1951 NRC, land documents and yet he was sent to the detention camp in November 2016.

Family members claimed that they are not Bangladeshi, and they are people of this state and have sufficient documents, but government tactically treat them as D-Voter in the village. Villagers have accused that there is a conspiracy over the declaration of Sohrab as D-Voter in his life.

Maleka Begum, wife of Sohrab says her husband was detained in Novemeber 2016 and sent to the detention camp without proper verification of the documents. She also claimed that her family submitted proper citizenship certificate and documents to the Foreigners Tribunal yet her husband was detained. She accused the government of being conspiring over detaining Sohrab and sending him to the detention camp on the unusual suspect.

Maleka Begum urged the state government to re-check the submitted documents over the identification of Sohrab's and release him after thorough verification.

“I do belief, tribunal court have not properly checked over citizens, so common peoples are facing harassment and detains by foreigner tribunal court in the district”, Maleka Begum alleged.

Meanwhile, over 30 families from Pub Angkhorbari, Hasraubari are served D-Voters notice from the ForeignersTribunal office. Citizens from the area demanded early stop of D-Voters notice issued to the families who are citizens of this country since forefathers. Another case where Majibar Rahman, son of late Kasimuddin of Pub Ankhorbari village, had already received D-voters notice in this issue by tribunal court. Rahman was treated as Bangladeshi in his entry in India on 25 March 1971 and hence served D-voter in the Foreigners tribunal court. However, Rahman’s father Kasimuddin had 1951 NRC legacy and some other necessary documents.

According to Rahman he had submitted required citizenship documents to the court, yet he was declared as D-voter.

"I was born here at Pub Ankhorbari village as my father had certificate of 1951 NRC, yet how he has been treated as D-voters" said Rahman.

Soneka Bala Roy from the same village also gas been served D-voters notice. She was not aware about the D-voters issue, but when she received the notice she came to know about the citizenship issue.