'1,500 Hindu-Bengali locals excluded from NRC in Malaibari'

Malaibari (Assam) [India], Sept 3 (ANI): Villagers of Assam's Malaibari region claimed that as many as 1,500 Hindu-Bengali residents of the village have been excluded from the final list of National Register of Citizens (NRC) and now they have no money to move to the Foreigner Tribunals Court and challenge their exclusion.

Villagers here claimed that they have been excluded from the list despite possessing proper documents.

"We are not that capable enough to go through the long process to get our names enlisted. What we earn is not sufficient to feed the family. So if we go to these places like FT court. Who will provide us with money for this overall procedure?" said one villager.

Disheartened by the NRC final list, Ratan Kar said: "What will happen to our future? We don't have money to move to FT court and for the further procedures. It would be better if they make us stand in a queue and kill us."

Villagers here claimed that so many 'genuine citizens' like them have been excluded out of the list and they have appealed to the government to set up accessible like FT Courts where these villagers can easily go and challenge their exclusion from the list.

The final list of NRC was published on August 31 and over 19 lakh people were excluded from the list.

"A total of 3, 11, 21,004 persons are found eligible for inclusion in final NRC, leaving out 19, 06,657 persons, including those who did not submit their claims," NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela had said.

The list is aimed at segregating Indian citizens living in Assam from those who had illegally entered the state from Bangladesh.