- Advertisement -
Guwahati, July 16 : While, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updating process is going on in Assam to detect foreigners, who illegally residing in Assam, some people of the state, whose ancestors resided here, are still struggling to prove that they are Indian citizens.
In a shocking incident that, the extended family members of Assam’s first deputy speaker Moulavi Muhammad Amiruddin are now struggling to prove their Indian citizenship.
Moulavi Muhammad Amiruddin, an Independent MLA who represented the then Nowgong Mohhemedan East constituency, served as the first deputy speaker between April 1937 and 1946 and played a vital rule by supporting then Premier Gopinath Bordoloi (September 1938 to stop Assam from becoming a part of Pakistan.
But his descendants, who are now living at Kalikajhari village under Bhurbandha revenue circle, about 12 km from Morigaon town are struggling to prove that they are Indian citizens after the Foreigners’ Tribunal served notices.
According to the reports, extended familes of Moulavi Muhammad Amiruddin residing at Kalikajhari village since pre-independence, but the Foreigners’ Tribunal of Morigaon district had served 13 notices to the families and asked them to prove their citizenship.
The Foreigners’ Tribunal no 3 of Morigaon district had served a notice to Rafikul Islam, one grandson of Moulavi Muhammad Amiruddin and his wife Tasmina Khatun in 2015.
The notice served by the Foreigners’ Tribunal stated that, how they are illegally residing at Kalikajhari area as they were illegally entered into India after March 25, 1971.
The Foreigners’ Tribunal asked them to prove that they are genuine Indian citizens.
Rafikul Islam said that, his grandfather was the first deputy speaker of Assam and he was born at Kalikajhari.
“But I was served a notice from the Foreigners Tribunal. My father’s name was included in the 1966 voter list and also in the 1970 voter list,” Rafikul Islam said.
“I respect Indian law and the court. But it is very unfortunate that, I was served a notice as I am an illegal foreigner. I will continue fight in court and will prove my nationality,” Rafikul Islam said.
On the other hand, Abu Taher, another grandson of Moulavi Muhammad Amiruddin said that, the Foreigners’ Tribunal has served notice against him and his wife and daughter, where as his grandfather was the first deputy speaker of Assam.
“We are genuine Indian citizens. But I was served notice. The tribunal had also served notice against my wife Nazima Khatun and daughter Nazma Sultana and stated that, we are illegal foreigners. We have already submitted all documents to prove that we are Indian citizens,” Abu Taher said.
Reacting over the incident, Assam Congress MLA and opposition leader Debabrata Saikia said that, Moulavi Muhammad Amiruddin, he was served as the deputy speaker in the Assam legislative assembly from 1937 to 1946, but the Foreigners’ Tribunal had served notices against his extended family members.
“Their names have been referred as they were entered into Assam post 1971. How can it possible? We have found that, the families possessed some land ceritificates then British government in 1930 and their names included in the voter lists before 1971. More than 100 people of that village are now struggling with D-voter tag and their names also being referred to the Foreigners’ Tribunal,” the Congress MLA said.
Debabrata Saikia said that, there are many lapses, anomalies have been done and he demanded a judicial inquiry into the matter.
(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)
