Assam NRC: Gorkhas may file defamation case against ‘system’

Guwahati: Announcing that Gorkhas residing in state can file defamation case against the ‘system’ for challenging their citizenship in Foreigner Tribunals (FTs) in post-NRC (National Register of Citizens) Assam, the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangha (BGP) clearly stated that Gorkhas living in state won’t go to the FTs to prove their citizenship.

Addressing media persons, BGP national president Sukhman Moktan said that Gorkhas being tried in FTs is an insult on being an Indian citizenship. “We can file defamation against the system for challenging Gorkhas citizenship and Nepali speaking population being taken to FT courts,” Moktan said.

Moktan visited different parts of Assam as a part of a BGP national delegation in last seven days to access the ground condition of the Gorkhas living in post-NRC Assam.

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Referring to a communication to the government of Assam, the BGP said, “The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has listed various provisions to obviate the difficulties faced by Gorkhas in the matter of Indian citizenship. The letter dated September 24, 2018 stated that the members of the Gorkha community who were Indian citizens at the time of commencement of the Constitution, or those who are Indian citizens by birth, or those who have acquired Indian citizenship by registration or naturalization in accordance with the provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 are not ‘foreigners’ in terms of Section 2 (a) of the Foreigners Act,1946 as well as The Registration of Foreigners Act,1939, therefore, such cases will not be referred to the Foreigners Tribunals.”

During the week-long tour, Moktan said, “We met NRC victims who have been arbitrarily marked D-voters and their descendants whose citizenship is challenged and being directed to go to FTs as per NRC guidelines. This is an attempt of a few vested interests within the system to disrespect Indian Gorkhas who are actually original inhabitants as is proved by our history and mythology since centuries.”

Nirmal Kumar Pun, secretary general BGP, said, “No Indian Gorkhas should be left out of NRC. BGP as a vigilant civil society organisation and will play a vital role as it is a judiciary monitored process.”