In a contentious statement, Aabhijeet Sharma, representing Assam Public Works (APW), has criticized the handling of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process. Sharma asserts that the final NRC has not been published as widely believed, but rather only the Draft NRC and a Supplementary list of Inclusion and Exclusion have been released. He accuses former State Coordinator Prateek Hajela of overstepping his authority by labeling the Supplementary list as final, contrary to the Supreme Court's directive.
Sharma claims that APW initiated the NRC update through a PIL filed in 2009, aimed at ensuring an error-free registry. Despite efforts, Sharma laments that their plea for 100% re-verification was dismissed by the Supreme Court. He alleges that Hajela compromised national security by including undeserving names in the NRC, a move challenged by APW in subsequent legal filings.
Furthermore, Sharma raises concerns about former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi's actions, alleging bias in handling the case. He accuses Gogoi of ignoring corruption allegations against Hajela related to payments to Data Entry Operators (DEOs), despite earlier revelations by APW. Sharma points to a CAG report allegedly confirming Rs. 155.83 Crores in irregularities, which were initially brought to light by APW.
Sharma questions Gogoi's decision to transfer Hajela to Madhya Pradesh just before the publication of the final NRC, suggesting an arbitrary move that may have impacted the process.
He further questions Gogoi stating, “If Hajela was a competent officer according to former chief justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, then why he was transferred before the publication of final NRC?”
