More than 4 million names not in complete NRC draft for Assam

The deletion of such a huge number of names, though may pacify many other local people and regional organisations which have been vociferous against largescale illegal migration and change in the state's demography, is likely to become an issue the Government would like to deal with cautiously with many fearing possible deportation.

However, the Centre sought to dispel such a fear, saying that this is only a draft and those dropped out of the list need not be panicked as they have the options for putting forward their objection and defend themselves as Indian citizens.

"Some people are unnecessarily trying to create an atmosphere of fear... This is a draft and not the final list," Home Minister Rajnath Singh said.

NDTV quoted Satyendra Garg, Home Ministry officer in charge of the northeast as saying, "Based on this draft no reference case will be sent to the foreigner tribunal or put in a detention centre."

Ahead of the publication of the draft, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had also told The Times of India on Sunday that applicants who do not find their names in it need not be apprehensive as they will get adequate opportunities to prove their eligibility for inclusion of their names in the final NRC.

Sonowal had also asked people to refrain from making "inflammatory" remarks.

The state's National Register of Citizens or NRC has been updated for the first time since 1951 to account for illegal migration from neighbouring Bangladesh.

Out of 3,29,91,385 applicants 2,89,83,677 have been found eligible for inclusion in the complete draft of NRC. This means that the names of 40,07,708 have been left out.

The first draft of the updated NRC, published on January 1, 2018  included the names of 1.90 crore people out of a total 3.29 applicants from Assam recognising them as legal citizens of India. However, the list sparked off a huge controversy as it allegedly included many questionable names and also excluded many Indian citizens.

Thousands of central forces are in the state to prevent any unrest over the new list.

Claims and objections from those left out of the citizen's list will be taken up from August 30 to September 28, officials said.

"Adequate and ample scope will be given to people for making objections. No genuine Indian citizen should have any fear," said Registrar General of India, Sailesh.

The centre has sent around 23,000 paramilitary personnel to Assam and neighbouring Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur, to pre-empt any possible unrest.