With completed draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) being published today, tension is prevailing in the state of Assam. A total of 3 crore 29 lakh 91 thousand and 384 persons had applied in the NRC updation process. The names of 2 crore 89 lakh 83 thousand 677 citizens has been found under NRC while the names of 40 lakh 7 thousand 707 people did not appear in the final NRC draft. Though government of India and Assam has tried to calm down situation by declaring that everyone will get enough time to file claims and objections, there is palpable sense of tension in the air.
Large number of Bengali speaking Muslim has been left out of NRC list. Simmering tension is building over it. The politics over NRC has also picked up. Opposition parties like Congress and TMC have alleged that process of compiling NRC was fraught with error. The government of Assam should ensure that no legal Indian citizens are denied citizenship because of the lack of some documents. It will be travesty of justice. Also there is every possibility that problems arising out of NRC issue may spill over in other NE states. Many of these stateless citizens might try to enter other state which in turn has potential to create law and order problem. Arunachal which shares long boundary with Assam is vulnerable and therefore state government should take all possible measures in this regard. It is going to be tough days ahead for the NE region. Everyone will have to join hand together to deal with NRC crisis.