102-Year-Old Mohammad Anuwar Ali from Assam Faces Agony of NRC, Asked to Prove Citizenship

Boko, August 4, 2019:

As many as 2,904 people in a few villages of Boko in Assam's Kamrup district were left bewildered after they were summoned to Upper Assam districts within a day to prove their citizenship at 8 pm on Saturday (approx). They had to appear for the hearings in remote Upper Assam districts almost 500 kms away within less than 48-hours.

The panicked villagers sold their land, cattle, jewellery and whatever else they had -- and boarded 25 buses to Upper Assam -- each carrying a hefty price tag of Rs. 25,000 - 35,000. 500

However, the situation is extra tense in Baruagaon as 102-years-old Mohammad Anuwar Ali, the most elderly man in the village, has also been served a notice.

Speaking to Inside Northeast, Ali says that he has been summoned to Sibsagar. "I have been summoned to Sibsagar, Jorhat, places I have never even heard the names of. I was born here 102 years ago, and I have been here ever since", Ali says, with a hint of exasperation in his voice.

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He adds that sixteen of his family members have received hearing notices. "How will we get therem where will we get the money?", he quizzes.

The poor people from Hojai have asked the Government how they are expected to go to Upper Assam within a day considering their financial difficulties? However, the administration is pushing for ‘re-verification’ before publishing the National Register of Citizens (NRC) on August 31 because of some rather surprising data which was recently produced by Minister Chandramohan Patowary in the Assam Assembly.

Patowary said that many people in tribal areas have been excluded, whereas Bangladesh-bordering areas have seen a high percentage of their population included in the NRC.

“In the indigenous and tribal-dominated districts such as Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong, Baksa and Sonitpur, 14-15% people have been excluded. Likewise, 22% people in Bongaigaon and 18% in Guwahati have been excluded”, he said, casting doubts over the accuracy of the NRC."

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