Vigil on social media to stop 'misinformation' on NRC

Assam deployed additional forces, stepped up vigil on social media posts and imposed restrictions on crowds as the voice against the quality of NRC enumeration grew on Thursday.

After minority organisations and the ruling BJP, at least 21 tribal organisations said the updated NRC with names of illegal migrants and indigenous people dropped was unacceptable. A coordination committee of Tribal Organisations of Assam asked the state government to further tighten security measures to quell possible violence after the publication of the final list of NRC on August 31.

"We are worried over the way many are expressing doubt about having an error-free NRC on Saturday. We want the NRC without a single foreigner and at the same time no indigenous people must be excluded," secretary of the forum, Aditya khaklari said.

The Supreme Court fixed August 31 for release of the final NRC, which will have names of nearly 41 lakh applicants, who did not figure in the draft NRC released on July 31, last year or excluded thereafter following re-verification of documents. The NRC 1951 is being updated only in Assam with March 24, 1971 as the cut-off, which was fixed in Assam Accord of 1985.

Additional director general of Assam police looking after its cyber cell, Harmeet Singh said they were in touch with authorities of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter for removal of "fake or frivolous" posts regarding NRC to prevent the circulation of wrong information.

"We are keeping a constant vigil on social media platforms and action are being taken as quickly as possible. Those intentionally spreading wrong information will be dealt with as per the law," Singh told reporters here.

Assam government on Tuesday issued a public notice assuring people that those who missed the final NRC would neither be declared foreigners immediately nor will be detained. "Under the provision of Foreigners Act, 1946 and Foreigners Tribunal Order, 1964, only Foreigner Tribunals are empowered to declare a person as a foreigner. Thus, non-inclusion of a person's name in NRC does not by itself amount to him/her being declared as a foreigner," it said.

The All Assam Students' Union (AASU), one of the signatories of Assam Accord said some organisations were trying to create confusion about NRC to protect their Hindu and Muslim vote banks. The union, however, said the government will be responsible for the inclusion of a single foreigner in the final list of NRC.

Officials said 51 companies of central forces (about 100 in each company), which were withdrawn and posted in Jammu and Kashmir has been sent back to Assam and already deployed to tackle law and order situation after the publication of the NRC final list.

Meanwhile, police here clamped Section 144 of CRPC prohibiting the gathering of more than five persons in parts of the city in the run-up to the publication of the final list on Saturday.