‘Declared Foreigner’ teacher relieved from assisting in NRC update process

A government school teacher was relieved from assisting in the updating process of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) after the Morigaon district administration came to know that he was declared a Bangladeshi by a Foreigners Tribunal, an official said.

Morigaon Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hemen Das in a statement said that the government teacher has been assisting the NRC update works and he is not entitled to take any decision about inclusion or exclusion of any applicant.

"He has been declared as a foreigner by the Foreigners Tribunal Morigaon but his case is pending before the Guwahati High Court," he said.

"However, as a matter of abundant caution and considering the sensitivities involved, he has been relieved from NRC works immediately," Das said.

Several organisations expressing concern over the teacher's case wondered how a declared foreigner was engaged in the NRC updating work at the Kolmoubari NRC Seva Kendra in Morigaon district.

Over 40,000 government employees, including teachers, were engaged exclusively for NRC works.

The teacher was declared a Bangladeshi citizen by the Foreigners Tribunal Morigaon last year and he was relieved of the NRC work after the district administration came to know about his case, said official sources.

The NRC was first prepared in 1951 after the census that year to contain the names of all genuine Indian citizens.

It is now being updated in Assam under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

The complete draft of the NRC was published on July 30 which left out over 40 lakh applicants.

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