Assam releases final NRC draft, 40 lakh declared 'illegal citizens' of India

Amid tight security, the second and the final draft of the National Register of Citizens of Assam was released in Guwahati on Monday.

‘Out of 3,29,91,384 total applicants, 2,89,83,677 people have been found eligible to be included in the National Register of Citizens,’ State NRC Coordinator Prateek Hajela said during the press conference.

There are roughly 40 lakh people, who have not made it to the list. As of now, they have been declared as ‘illegal citizens’ of India. However, there won’t be any deportation based of the final draft, the NRC officials said. These people have a chance at appeal with the NRC and then can approach the courts.

People, whose names are not included in the final draft, will be provided adequate time period for claims and objections. Such people will have to apply in prescribed forms in their respective Sewa Kendras.

"Those citizens, whose names are not included in the draft can know the reason behind the same between August 7-30 by visiting their respective centres. After that from August 30 till September 28 people can submit claim and objection forms. Based on the same further enquiry will be done," said Virendra Mittal, Deputy Commissioner of Assam's Kamrup district.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on July 25 asked the Assam Government and its neighbouring states to ensure maintenance of law and order in the run-up to and post-publication of the NRC draft.

The Registrar General of India (RGI) has been ordered to use all means of communication including websites, toll-free numbers, SMS etc, to provide information to public about the Draft NRC.

Assam in numbers

32 million Assam’s population, a third of it is Muslims. The state has the second-highest percentage of Muslims of any Indian state.

8 million Assam’s population when NRC was first prepared in 1951.

32.9 million Applicants. 19 million got Indian citizenship when the first part of the draft came out on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1.

5 million Bangladeshis in Assam, said Deputy Home Minister in the UPA government, Sri Prakash Jaiswal, in Parliament, in 2004. He later withdrew his statement.

20 million Bangladeshi immigrants staying illegally in India, said NDA government in Parliament in 2016.

2 million Muslims are estimated in Assam who trace their roots to Bangladesh.

22,000 central paramilitary troops rushed to Assam and adjoining states before the NRC release.