Kumar Bahukhandi
Guwahati: In what has triggered an angry reaction from opposition camp, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma here on Thursday December 12, 2024 said that his government has decided to reject the Aadhar applications of those whose families had not applied for inclusion in the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Pointing out that the state government would begin verification of applicants for Aadhaar cards in Assam soon, Sarma said that the decision to link Aadhaar cards with NRC applications was announced in September this year.
He stated that the state government decided to issue a standard operating protocol for future issuance of Aadhaar cards, which will make it mandatory for one to furnish their NRC Pointing out that the Cabinet had approved the proposal for the implementation of an SOP he said that the General Administration Department of the state government would be the nodal agency for its implementation, which would be overseen by Additional District Commissioners at the district level and by Circle Officers at the revenue circle level.
Arguing that the arrest of dozens of infiltrators from Bangladesh has forced them to strengthen the system, the chief minister said that after an application is made for Aadhar, the UIDAI will send it to the state government for verification, following which the Circle Officer concerned would check if the applicant or their family had applied for inclusion in the NRC.
“If it is found that there was an application for NRC, the circle officer will go for field-level verification as per Supreme Court directives. After the officer is fully convinced, the Aadhaar will be approved,” he said.
Meanwhile, opposition Congress and Trinamool Congress on Thursday criticised the Assam government’s decision to make NRC application a pre-condition for obtaining an Aadhaar card, stating the state has turned into a “banana republic” under chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and BJP.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev, who hails from Assam, said that the NRC has not been notified by the Registrar General of India to date and questioned making it the basis for Aadhaar.
“Secondly, even non-citizens in India get Aadhar cards if they have stayed 182 days in the 12 months before applying. Lastly, unless the government declares a person an illegal migrant, how can they refuse Aadhar ? Assam is a banana republic under @himantabiswa and @BJP4India,” she said in her social media post. Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi also criticised the decision of the government.
(Source DC)
