File picture of Bangladeshi migrants who were apprehended by AASU

Guwahati, Nov. 13: The process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC), based on March 25, 1971, as the cut-off date for detecting and deporting foreigners from the state, has now hit yet another hurdle. The main Opposition party, the AGP, has demanded DNA tests of applicants to establish their ancestry.

Dispur had decided to update the register on the basis of the NRC of 1950 and the electoral rolls of 1966 and 1971. However, pouring cold water on the government’s plans, the AGP has now joined issue with the All Assam Students Union (AASU).

The Opposition party said in order to make the NRC foolproof, the government should conduct DNA tests to establish the family lineage of a person whose ancestors’ names were included either in the NRC of 1950 or in the voter lists of 1966 or 1971.

Minister in charge of implementation of the Assam Accord, Bhumidhar Barman, today said in view of the demands by the AGP and the AASU, the government was taking a fresh look at the entire process.

“We are now examining the possibility of incorporating the suggestion of the AASU and the AGP in the modalities for updating the NRC,” Barman announced.

He, however, said the government was not sure whether it would be feasible practically to conduct DNA tests on lakhs of people to establish their ancestral links.

“Though it would not be proper for me to comment on the suggestions, I think it will be a very difficult task. Nevertheless, we are examining it,” the minister said outside the Assembly.

Earlier, in a reply to a question from AGP legislator Alaka Sarma in the Assembly, the minister said districts such as Karbi Anglong, North Cachar Hills, Cachar, Dibrugarh, Sivasagar and Udalguri did not have the NRC of 1950.

Again, districts such as Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Morigaon, Darrang, Golaghat, Kamrup, Tinsukia and North Lakhimpur only have partial records of this register.

He added that of the 24 districts in Assam, 14 have the complete electoral rolls of 1971, while only 12 districts have the complete electoral rolls of 1966.

Barman later added that in those districts which did not have any records of the base line dates, the government would accept government documents such as passports or land records issued prior to March 25, 1971, as proof of citizenship. The minister conceded that the absence of such documents would create further complications in updating the NRC.

After the tripartite discussions between the Centre, AASU and Dispur on implementation of the Assam Accord in May 2005, Dispur had said the entire process of updating the register would be completed by October 2007.

Criticising the government for the delay, an AGP legislator claimed that the government had no intention of updating the NRC as it would hamper the interests of its vote bank.