NRC papers used to serve snacks, 2 held

Two persons were arrested today after documents related to National Register Citizens (NRC) were found from a tea shop in Sonitpur district, where they were being used to serve snacks.
Deputy Commissioner Manoj Kumar Deka said the documents included photocopies of marriage certificates that are attached with NRC forms, and counterfoils of other papers with the BDO of Dhekiajuli and its respective departments.
The documents were found in bags in a tea shop near Dhekiajuli weekly market in Sonitpur district yesterday.
It is serious negligence on part of secretaries of Gaon Panchayats, Deka said, adding two persons were arrested in this connection.

The arrested persons are tea stall owner Subak Dutta and Raikashmari GP secretary Chandralal Upadhya.
The papers had been submitted by residents of three Gaon Panchayats of Rakishmari in Dhekiajuli Assembly constituency and Nij Borsala and Pirakata GPs under Borsala Assembly constituency, officials said.

Dutta had bought the papers from a 'kawari' (used paper seller) for packing snacks.
A customer found several such papers in the shop yesterday and informed the media. Later, police recovered three bags of the documents from the tea stall, officials said.
Dhekiajuli Subordinate Deputy Commissioner Liza Talukdar filed a case against the three GP secretaries at Dhekiajuli Police station, following which the two arrests were made.

The NRC containing names of Indian citizens was prepared only once in 1951 during the Census that year. It is being updated now to include names of those persons (or their descendants) who appear in the NRC, 1951.
Other documents which will prove the holder's presence in any part of India before mid-night of March 24, 1971, are also admissible under the NRC register. The exercise is required as Assam has been facing the problem of illegal migrants from Bangladesh and NRC is important to identify them.