By Joydeep Sarkar
Kolkata: Uttam Kumar Brajbasi has never stepped out of his district, let alone crossing the international border. Yet, the resident of Sadiar Kuthir village under Chowdhuryhat Gram Panchayat in Dinhata Block 2 of Cooch Behar district, West Bengal, has received a notice from the Foreigners’ Tribunal constituted for the Assam NRC (National Register of Citizens). The notice, which he received in January, demands that he provide citizenship documents by July 15 or be declared a foreigner.
“I have never even been to Assam, yet they are branding me as a foreigner. After receiving the notice in January, I submitted all necessary documents through my lawyer proving my permanent residence here. However, they are specifically asking for my father’s voter list records,” said Brasbasi, as he went from pillar to post to prove his citizenship.
According to the notice from the Assam government, Brajbasi is accused of illegally entering India via the Assam border between January 1, 1966, and March 24, 1971, without valid documents. It also claims that he failed to submit valid citizenship documents within the stipulated time. On Tuesday, Brajbasi and his family spent the day at the Dinhata BDO office seeking legal advice.
“Authorities could provide only the 1966 and 1988 voter list copies. Facing contradictions in documents with Assam’s allegations, I have become helpless and submitted a letter detailing all these incidents to the District Magistrate of Cooch Behar on Tuesday,” shared Rajbanshi.
The case has taken a political turn, with a section of the ruling party proposing to bring Brajbasi to Kolkata to present his case to the chief minister, alleging a political conspiracy.
Incidentally, Brajbasi’s father, the late Narendranath Brajbasi, whom the Assam government seeks to label a foreigner, served as the Deputy Head (Upa-Pradhan) of Chowdhuryhat Gram Panchayat. He won the position with support from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in West Bengal’s first panchayat election in 1978 – a fact confirmed by official documents and local residents.
This story was originally published in thewire.in. Read the full story here.
