Another Attempt to Divide

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat

They call it National Register of Citizen (NRC) but it is basically an attempt to take away the citizenship of the people on the basis of your religion. In pure political terms BJP wanted to polarise the north east through its vicious anti Muslim agenda and were finding ways to make permanent presence in the states of north east. The ‘intellectuals’ and ‘planners’ of the party might have thought that this citizenship issue or what they call ‘illegal Bangladeshi’s’ for which they minted votes in rest of the country is now rising from the ashes threaten to bring back the memories of those dark phases which Assam had gone through. Is this the party of governance or party of dividing people to fulfil its political agenda?

For many decades, Assam and North East were burning and in 1980s the bold pact with students brought the state back to life though we know the massacre in Nellie which still reminds us of the volatility of the situation. While people were ready to live together and wanted to move ahead, the current government has two pet projects. One in Kashmir and the other in Assam. After pushing uncertainty in Kashmir and looking it through the prism of tainted Sangh Parivar vision of an administrative issue, they have brought the state of Assam and other North Eastern states into not only uncertainties but also total turmoil.

The first draft of the NRC is out. There were over 3.29 crore claims for citizenship and the government official could find out about 2.89 crore as authentic which means 40 lakh people face the sword of being ‘declared’ as illegal migrants or simply ‘Bangladeshis’. While the government has assured in Parliament that all care will be taken and people have a right to go to the tribunal and can file their documents, it is well known fact that this government was determined to bring the issue to create a permanent division between the people on the basis of their religion and ethnicity.

To put it simple. Every Muslim who is an Indian citizen has to justify his citizenship with records. All the Hindus whether they are Bangladeshi’s or not are ‘welcomed’ to India. This government’s citizenship policy is clearly aimed to provide a justiciable stamp on two nation theory. It is disgraceful and detrimental to the national interest.

We know well that some people can win elections and feel proud of. In fact, Narendra Modi did not have time to run the government as the last five years we have seen in election mode. When people become instrument for your election winning methodology then the country suffer. India bleeds because of some sinister ideas where people and their citizenship is decided on the basis of their religious identities.

What will happen to these four million people.. almost equal to the population of many European countries like Croatia?

Where will you send them ?

Will Bangladesh accept them ?

If not then what.

Will you go for a war with your neighbour where Adani want to supply electricity from the natural resources of Jharkhand.

What does the BJP and the central government want to do with the people. I can understand people will file cases and hopefully many will prove it but even then, I know this government is determined to declare them Bangladeshis.

What will happen then?

Will you allow Nellie and other incidents again which Assam has witnessed in past and then play the ‘ You too’ card. This bloody tu tu main main need to be demolished.

Please tell Mr Home Minister, what would you do with these people?

Are your cadre want to enact what is happening in Rohingya’s camps in Myanmar?

Dear Home Minister, please act, don’t push people to fight each other. If there are illegal Bangladeshis’s please speak to Bangla government and not speak through your party anchors in the TV. Don’t create an atmosphere of animosity all over the country.

Keep your finger crossed. Like the poor, old, helpless were forced to stand in during the disastrous demonetisation, Assam’s Muslims will have to pass another test. Go to the authorities, stand in ques and prove that they are Indian citizens.

No issue with National Register but problem is its communalisation and no direction of what happen if they are really illegal. We know it will not be easier for Bangladesh to say that they are their citizens. So what will you do in such circumstances? Will the ‘detention camps’ become the other camp’s during the second world war?

We hope good sense will prevail. People of Assam should maintain peace and calm but also protest against the harassment of the innocents. As an alert citizens we must stand in support of our fellow citizens who are being divided and harassed on the basis of their religious identity. Hope friends will approach Supreme Court for clear guidelines as well as what is the future of those who are declared as ‘illegal’? Which country will say that they are their citizens? Look for some practical and pragmatic solutions and not merely your electoral victory alliances alone as nation is much bigger than your few victory or defeat.

(Vidya Bhushan Rawat is a social and human rights activist. He blogs at www.manukhsi.blogspot.com twitter @freetohumanity Email: [email protected])