Now, 72-yr-old Cooch Behar resident receives NRC notice from Assam
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Septuagenarian Nishikanta Das — a resident of Kushiyar Bari in Ghoksadanga Latapata panchayat of Mathabhanga-II block — received the notice from Assam Foreigners' Tribunal in the third week of April. The notice, written in Assamese, accused Das of illegally entering India from Bangladesh between 1966 and 1971, and sought his reply by May 21.
Das appeared before the tribunal and presented his Aadhaar, voter ID and ration card as proof of his Indian citizenship, but these were not accepted.
A worried Das then sought help from the district administration.
Das said he went to Assam for work in 2001. During that time, Assam Police had detained him once, suspecting him to be a Bangladeshi. However, his employer there clarified that he was not a Bangladeshi. Based on this statement — and after verifying all his documents in Assam — the police had released him. Das returned home after working in Assam for about six months.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, 72-year-old Das said the tribunal officials asked for his father's voter list and identity papers. "I submitted my voter ID, Aadhaar and ration card to the tribunal, but they did not accept them. I was asked to show my father's name on the voter list. My father passed away some 45 years ago and I had no ready documents. Even though I have found that document now, I have decided not to approach the tribunal again," he claimed.
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Trinamool Cooch Behar district Abhijit De Bhowmik visited Das's house on Saturday and assured him of all help. "BJP is doing all this to create fear among Bengalis," Bhowmik said.
Responding to Bhowmik's claims, BJP pointed fingers at TMC. Mathabhanga BJP MLA Sushil Barman said: "Nishikanta went to work in Assam. He will have to show his documents. But there's nothing to worry, we are with him. Trinamool is unnecessarily dragging the matter for doing politics."
Barman also visited Das at his home during the day.
TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh claimed that Rajbanshis were being harassed just like Matuas. "Whether you (BJP) are detaining Matuas or sending NRC letters to Rajbanshis, you are harassing Hindus. Are they not Hindus? You are not allowing any community in Bengal to live in peace," Ghosh said.
Das, now an egg-seller, has two sons and three daughters, all of whom are married and settled in Alipurduar.
His wife died eight years ago.
Locals said they have known Das for a long time. "I've known him since childhood. He's a bit older than me. Nishikanta has been here for a long time, only going to another state for work for a few months. Due to his age, he hasn't gone out of here for a long time now," said Sumit Barman, a neighbour.
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