Home Secretary allays fears over draft NRC publication

Guwahati, Dec 22 : Ahead of the publication of a draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam on December 31, Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba on Friday said there was no need to be afraid as there will be ample scope to raise objections if anyone's name does not appear in the document.

He also reviewed the law and order situation in the state.

Addressing a press conference here, Gauba said he was in the state to look at the progress of the Supreme Court-monitored NRC in the wake of the apex court order directing its publication before 2017-end, adding a lot of work needs to be done still.

Although the Central government had sought extension of the draft publication date, the Supreme Court directed its publication on or before December 31.

"The updation of the NRC is a massive exercise conducted by the Registrar General of India. The state machinery is getting mobilized for the exercise closely monitored by the Supreme Court. 

"While substantial work has already been done, lot of work still needs to be done," said Gauba.

"It has been repeatedly emphasized that this is just a draft. There were 68 lakh applications and the NRC authority had received six crore documents for verification," he said, asking for everyone's cooperation in the exercise.

On the government expressing doubts about part publication of the NRC draft, he said: "It is our duty to place all the facts in the court.

"The NRC exercise was mooted to weed out illegal immigrants from the state," he reiterated.

Meanwhile, the Home Secretary said the India-Bangladesh fencing work will be completed by 2018. "During a meeting, we have reviewed the ongoing border fencing along the India-Bangladesh border. We will complete it by 2018."

He said use of state of the art technology and electronic gadgets on the border have also been discussed in the meeting and that the state has sought trade linkages by opening more integrated check posts along the border in both land and riverine areas.

"We will take up with the Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry the construction of 264 km road along the India-Bhutan border. The road will connect Jamduar to Sikaridanga," he said.