A retired Army officer in Assam has been detained and sent to a detention camp after a Foreigners' Tribunal declared him a foreign national.
Md Sana Ullah, a resident of Guwahati, was detained from his house in Satgaon by the police on Tuesday after the Tribunal at Boko passed the order declaring him as a foreigner and sent him to detention camp.
Ullah spoke to Reuters as he was being taken into a police vehicle to be sent to the detention centre in the town of Goalpara. He said he felt heartbroken.
"This is the reward I got after serving for 30 years in the Indian army. I am an Indian, very much an Indian and will forever remain an Indian," said Ullah, who is the incumbent deputy inspector in the border wing of the Assam Police.
Ullah's advocate and family members also said that he was a genuine Indian citizen who had served in the Indian Army for 30 years and upon retirement as Honorary Captain in 2017 took up a job with the Assam Police in the Border Branch.
"Md Sona Ullah was born in July 30, 1967 to one Mohammed Ali, a resident of Kalahiklash village under Boko area in Assam's Kamrup district. As per the records he joined the Indian Army in 1987 and worked in different capacities. He also received a President's Certificate in 2014 for his promotion to the rank of Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) with effect from 2012," said Ullah's counsel Sahidul Islam.
"Post retirement, he joined the Assam Police. However, there was a Foreigners Tribunal case against him suspecting his citizenship credentials. On Tuesday, the Foreigners' Tribunal ruled against him though we submitted all documents to prove his Indian identity and declared him as a foreign national," Islam added.
He added that they would appeal in the higher court against the Tribunal's verdict.
Ullah had also served in the Kargil war, according to Mohammed Ajmal Haque, his cousin from Boko, which is about 60 km from Guwahati. Earlier in 2017, the Foreigners' Tribunal had served a notice against Haque also, who is a retired Junior Commissioned Officer.
The Congress on Wednesday urged Chief Minister Sarbanaanda Sonowal to take note of reports of harassment of genuine Indian citizens in the name of updating the NRC.
"A total of 44 people have so far have killed themselves in Assam after not finding their names in the draft NRC published by the Assam government last year," Congress leader Apurba Kumar Bhattacharyya said.
The Supreme Court took note of the matter, and CJI Justice Ranjan Gogoi urged NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela to ensure that due process is followed.
CJI to Mr. Hajela: You are the Coordinator,you have to coordinate and control. Merely disposing of claims is no good unless diaposal is properly done.
— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) May 30, 2019
#NRCAssam
— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) May 30, 2019
CJI to Mr. Hajela- In case you feel any obstruction or being pressurized , you can come and mention the matter. Ask your officers to be fair. You have to adhere to the timeline but just because of a timeline the officers shouldn't cut short the process.
#NRCAssam
— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) May 30, 2019
Supreme Court asks state coordinator of NRC Assam to ensure that the timeline is adhered to and all persons are granted a fair opportunity by the officers concerned. https://t.co/Ub9ytG4QqH
Modifying the State's (Assam) submission of appointment of retired IAS/ACS officers as members in Foreigners Tribunals, the Supreme Courtourt has directed that such officers should not be below the rank of Secy./Addl. Secy and must have judicial experience.
— The Leaflet (@TheLeaflet_in) May 30, 2019
(With IANS inputs)