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citizenship

in the motherland with freedom
and dignity, much more than those
who rule, dictate and exploit.”
Professor Tripathi argues with
facts and figures at his command -
“In 1871 census, Muslim population
in Assam was 28.7 per cent; in 1941,
25.72 per cent; in 1971, 24.56 per
cent; in 1991, 28.43 per cent; in 2001,
30.92 per cent and in 2011, 34.2 per
cent (in total state population of 32
million).
However, their percentage share
in land and assets is far less. Only 7.9
per cent of them in cities and 5.8 per
cent in rural areas are in the formal
(organised) sector. For Hindus, these
figures are 23.1 per cent and 12.3 per
cent.
“Rest Hindu and Muslim masses
are in the low income informal
sector… 36 per cent people in Assam
are below the poverty line (against photo: ujjal dev
26 per cent All India average). In
districts where Muslim population Tomorrow, if • present but missing Names of 40,70,707
is above 45 per cent, with the excep- people do not figure in the latest draft NRC
tion of Dhubri, the percentage of the NRC were
people below poverty line is higher to conduct and 1987, irrespective of the citizen-
(Dhubri 28.6 per cent, Goalpara 60.3 ship of the parents, is Indian by
per cent, Barpeta 50.19 per cent, citizenship birth, ii) between 1987 and 2003,
Kaila Kandi 43.79 per cent, Karim- surveys in other is Indian if one parent is Indian
ganj 48.23 per cent, Nagaon 38.96 citizen, iii) after 2003 would be
per cent, Marigaon 80.14 per cent). states of the Indian if both the parents are Indian
He further said,“The per capita country, civil citizen.
income in Assam is only 60 per The NRC must look afresh
cent of the national average while war is likely the drop out cases in view of this
growth rate is half of the national amendment. The government must
average. to spread out strive to make India-Pakistan-
The annual growth rate of wages Bangladesh borders porus for the
in Assam during 1991-2000 has working classes as these classes
been negative (-0.12 per cent) while classes. The partition was merely were never given their rightful
for the country it was +3.36 per cent. the division of ruling authority — due in British India or new born
To this if we add the fear of insecu- few states came to be ruled by the nations…Indians going abroad
rity (heightened by massive riots Muslim League and remaining by get the citizenship of that nation
like Nellie massacre of 1983 that the Congress. after working for few years. Many
killed 2800 people), Assam can’t be People could live where ever countries give full citizenship to
a lucrative destination for working they wanted. There was no con- the children of illegal migrants
classes from elsewhere. In fact, in sideration for the interests and born there. Here we are dealing
last two decades sizeable people plight of the working classes. Justice with people whose forefathers, for
from Assam have migrated to demands that any one among the millennia, lived here and served
Kerala as many locals from Kerala working classes born in India be this land. They deserve at least the
moved to Middle East…” treated as Indian citizen. rights we demand for NRIs in other
Tripathi added that Partition of “In fact, the 2003 amendment nations, concluded Tripathi.
India can’t be made an excuse to (Section 3) to Citizenship Act 1955
attack the citizenship of working says any one born i) between 1950 letters@tehelka.com

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