Page 28 - 15JAN2020E-1

OPINION
DILEMMAS
HUMRA
QURAISHI
The Delhi-based writer
and columnist’s books
include Kashmir: The
Untold Story. She co- I Assam, perhaps, there will be a
authored a series of
writings with the late
Khushwant Singh and
her short stories are
part of anthologies.
The views expressed
are her own
Assurances fine but NRC
is scary on many fronts
Instead of ensuring that human beings do not perish because of
malnutrition, hunger, thirst, disease, poverty, the government of the
day is focusing on who is an Indian or who isn’t
’m provoked into writing this and faulty projections of the ground
particular column in the backdrop realities.
of the rulers of the day declaring Not to overlook the fact that Amit
that the NRC will be implemented Shah had in one of his earlier speeches
in the rest of the country. Also, in mentioned rather too categorically
that the members of the different com-
repeat of the exercise to settle the so- munities of the country need not fear
called errors and the politically desired the NRC and that they will not be affect-
rectifications or whatever else comes ed. Here it is absolutely pertinent to state
along with that. that he had mentioned all communities
Last month, the Union Home Minister, except the Muslims of the country. Why?
Amit Shah, had said in the Parliament Strange or not really, in the backdrop of
that NRC would be prepared for every the Hindutva’s track record in dealing
state in the country. Till now, an NRC has with the largest minority community
been prepared only in Assam, where in the country. One fact after another
it was found that 1.9 million of the 329 to prove that the treatment meted out
million, who had applied for inclusion of to the Muslim community is biased and
their names in NRC, were not eligible for tilted, if not grossly violating the basic
citizenship. fundamental rights.
Instead of the establishment con- Other aspects also loom large — when
fronting the human disasters and there’s that urgent need to reach out
tragedies taking place in Assam, there’s to the citizens of the country in terms
coming up this big scare for the rest of of roti, kapda, makaan, then why the
the citizens and residents of the country. NRC? Instead of ensuring that human
Quite obviously scare is on several grave beings do not perish because of malnu-
fronts. Foremost, how many genuine trition, hunger, thirst, disease, poverty,
citizens will be hounded if not targeted the government of the day is hell bent
and displaced in this entire citizenship on causing severe crisis along who is
drive. an Indian or who isn’t! At least first and
Though assurances are now coming foremost ensure that the Indian lives and
up that there will be no religious dis- survives and is fit enough to breathe, and
criminations but who amongst us then go in the various other complicated
is naïve enough to believe a word of directions.
the politicians and their assurances? In fact, the urgency with which the
If the Home Minister of the country, government is moving to get the NRC
Amit Shah, can say that all’s okay in implemented in the entire country, is
terms of normalcy is prevailing in the provoking one to question and query —
Kashmir, then we have got to pause and is this some sort of a distracting move,
seriously re-think on the assurances he as there will be so much of focus on the
has been lately giving on the NRC front. NRC and its deadly offshoots that
After all, it’s a confirmed fact that nor- nobody will be in a position to ask for
malcy is not anywhere near prevailing in the roti, kapda, makaan? All that they
the Kashmir Valley, yet these false we will be left looking for will be for the
28