NRC and Nagaland

Amid tight security, the stage is set for second and final draft of Assam's National Register of Citizens (NRC) today, July 30.  

The draft will be published at noon at all the NRC Sewa Kendras (NSK) across the state and applicants can check their names in the list which will include the applicant's name, address and photographs, the PTI News Agency reported quoting NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela. The NRC will include the names of all Indian citizens who have been residing in Assam before March 25, 1971.  

Security has been beefed up across the state to maintain law and order, with district deputy commissioners and superintendents of police being directed to maintain a strict vigil and vulnerable areas identified.  

An additional 220 companies of the central armed police forces to gear up security in Assam and the neighbouring states were also sent by the Union Government ahead of the publication.  

The first draft of the ongoing NRC process was released on the intervening night of December 31 and January 1, wherein the names of 1.9 crore of the 3.29 crore applicants were incorporated.  

The Nagaland Government, meanwhile, has informed that additional forces will be deployed along the border with Assam as preventive measure to thwart possible undocumented immigrants after the final draft of NRC is published.  

Preventive measures and advisories were issued while the village councils were also directed to “remain vigilant.” The state police was deploying additional forces including units of the India Reserve Battalion (IRB) along the Nagaland-Assam border. Several areas of Assam such as Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Uriamghat and Karbi Anglong are located on the Assam-Nagaland border and these areas are mostly porous.  

The Naga Students Federation (NSF) has also appealed for “place strict mechanism to monitor the entry and exit of people.” As final day approaches the voices and concerens over the issues are heard from every corner.  

The Government's pre-emptive action, this, is pertinent so as to prevent rapidly converging forces of the issue of migration and the rise of populist narratives in such situation. Inflammatory comments, assertion and affirmation become common feeders across all social media platforms.  

The action by the government is most vital so as to give a semblance of assurance to the general public and to prevent any unwanted vigilantism and populist assertion.  

Migration issue is a crucial socio-political issue that is confronting all nation-states across the world and needs to be met with right policy measures. It needs to be handled holistically before the issue transcends into widespread chaos detrimental to every party involved. The Government has responded rightly to an unfolding issue. The next step is effective law and order mechanisms and administrative proactiveness. Taking laws into one’s hand and vigintalism has never served anyone.