NRC authority says no hand in document naming scribes, others

The NRC State Coordinator's office in Assam clarified on Tuesday that it has nothing to do with the creation or circulation of a document on social media which names journalists and human rights activists who are allegedly involved in "anti-NRC propaganda".

"It has come to the notice of the NRC authority that a document naming some journalists as being involved in anti-NRC propaganda is being circulated in social media since August 17," the National Register of Citizens (NRC) Coordinator Prateek Hajela's office tweeted.

It said the clarification was issued in public interest. "It is clarified that NRC authority has nothing to do with its creation or circulation".

A document titled 'NRC: The Other Story- Truth, Reality and Conspiracy' contained several chapters on people allegedly involved in such propaganda. A chapter had the names of journalists and news organisations, while social and human rights activists and some organisations figured in other chapters.

The document, which had the NRC logo, was not attributed to any organisation or authority but was circulated on various social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp.

The NRC logo on the document led to the confusion that it was issued by the NRC authority.

The final NRC is to be published on August 31. It is being updated for the first time in Assam after 1951. The Supreme Court is monitoring the exercise aimed at identifying genuine citizens of the state, which has seen influx of illegal migrants from Bangladesh over decades.

In July last year, 40,07,707 people were excluded from the complete draft of the NRC, which contained 2,89,83,677 eligible persons out of a total 3,29,91,384 applicants.

An additional 1,02,462 people were added to the list of excluded people in June.

In an effort to allay fears, the Union Home Ministry on Tuesday said non-inclusion of a person's name in the final NRC does not by itself amount to him or her being declared a foreigner, and assured that adequate arrangements have been made for appeal against it.

The ministry also said it will amend the rules to increase the time limit for filing appeals in foreigners tribunals (FTs) from 60 to 120 days for those who would be excluded from the final National Register of Citizens to be published on August 31.

The decisions were taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and others in New Delhi on Monday.