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Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Systematic assault on democracy: CM on Assam NRC notice to Bengal man
Jalpaiguri/Kolkata: Calling the Assam govt's NRC notice to a Cooch Behar Rajbanshi resident a "systematic assault on democracy", CM Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday urged opposition parties "to stand up against BJP's divisive and oppressive machinery. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now " "I am shocked and deeply disturbed to learn that the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam has issued an NRC notice to Uttam Kumar Brajabashi, a Rajbanshi, resident of Dinhata in Cooch Behar for over 50 years. Despite furnishing valid identity documents, he is being harassed on suspicion of being a 'foreigner/illegal immigrant'," the CM wrote in a post on X. "This is nothing short of a systematic assault on democracy. It is proof that the ruling BJP dispensation in Assam is attempting to implement NRC in Bengal, where it holds no power or jurisdiction. A premeditated attempt is being made to intimidate, disenfranchise, and target marginalised communities. This unconstitutional overreach is anti-people and exposes BJP's dangerous agenda of bulldozing democratic safeguards and erasing the identity of Bengal's people," she added. "This alarming situation calls for urgent unity among all opposition parties to stand up against BJP's divisive and oppressive machinery. Bengal will not stand by as the constitutional fabric of India is torn apart," the CM wrote further. Trinamool Congress threatened to take to the streets in protest. Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh told reporters, "Consider this: a resident of Bengal is receiving a letter from Assam. Who has the authority? This is a conspiracy. Bengalis are being oppressed and anyone speaking Bengali is labelled a Bangladeshi. Brajabashi is a native of Bengal, a Rajbanshi. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Now understand, those who engage in Hindu Kumar Brajabashi is Hindu, yet he received the circular. Strong protests are ongoing against this and will continue." After the CM posted on X, panchayat authorities of Brajabashi's village Chaudhurihat, along with Brajabashi and his family met Nitish Tamang, BDO of Dinhata Block 2. Four months ago, Brajabashi had applied for an SC certificate. He received the certificate on Tuesday. Brajabashi told reporters he was relieved because of the support of the Bengal govt and CM Banerjee. Brajabashi received a letter in Jan alleging that he had entered India from Bangladesh illegally through the Assam border between 1966 and 1971 and was residing in Dinhata's Sadiyal Kuthi area. Brajabashi maintains he was born in 1975 and has records to show that his father had been a Dinhata voter since 1966. Trinamool MP Sagarika Ghose said, "It is highly disturbing to note that the BJP govt in Assam is sending demands for citizenship proof from an inhabitant of Bengal. This is totally unconstitutional and anti-democratic…They have targeted someone from the Rajbanshi community…We will not allow the divisive agenda of the BJP to divide and to target the most vulnerable and helpless sections."
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bengal man facing Assam NRC heat shows parents' vote proof
1 2 Jalpaiguri: Cooch Behar resident Uttam Kumar Brajabashi, who received an NRC notice from the Assam govt asking him to prove his Indian citizenship by July 15 or face deportation, produced documents on Monday which showed that his parents, Narendranath Brajabashi and Sabitri, were voters in Dinhata. In Jan, 50-year-old Brajabashi received a notice from Assam govt accusing him of being an illegal immigrant who entered India through the Bangladesh border between 1966 and 1971. The notice claimed Brajabashi was unable to present required documents during police verification. North Bengal development minister Udayan Guha, who has stepped in to help Brajabashi, said on Monday: "Brajabashi was born in 1975. Surprisingly, the Assam govt asked for his documents from 1966 to 1971. We have asked him to not pay heed to the notice. We will stand by him and provide him support." You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata A Rajbanshi from Sadiyaler Kuthi in Dinhata's Chowdhury Haat, Brajabashi has claimed he had never left Cooch Behar in his life or travelled outside Bengal. "Brajabashi is an Indian Bengali from Bengal. How can a man born in 1975 have documents from before that? This is ridiculous and unacceptable," he said. Trinamool Congress, in a statement, said: "The BJP-governed Assam govt has now sent an NRC notice to Uttam Kumar Brajabashi, a man who has never even visited Assam. He possesses documents showing that his father's name was included in the 1966 electoral roll. How does Assam govt send such an undemocratic notice to one of our Rajbanshi brothers."
Time of India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bengal man tagged ‘illegal immigrant' by Assam, state steps in
1 2 Jalpaiguri: Bengal govt assured help to a Cooch Behar resident who received an NRC notice from Assam govt in Jan, accusing him of having entered India illegally from Bangladesh. The assurance came after Uttam Kumar Brajabashi (50) reached out to North Bengal development minister Udayan Guha on Sunday after he was given until July 15 to prove his citizenship. Brajabashi said he had never left Cooch Behar in his life. But in Jan this year, he got a notice from the local police that alleged that Assam govt had identified him as an illegal immigrant who entered India through the Assam border between 1966 and 1971, and had been residing in Dinhata. The notice claimed that Brajabashi could not present valid documents during police verification. You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in Kolkata His lawyer, Apurba Sinha, said Assam govt started the NRC case in 2015, but the letter reached the office of the Cooch Behar district SP nine years later, in Dec 2024. Sinha questioned how Assam could send an NRC-related letter to the district SP in Bengal when Bengal govt does not recognise NRC. According to the lawyer, Assam govt has demanded proof of his name on the voter list since he became an eligible voter but neither the district nor state administration have been able to provide the documents. On learning of the incident, minister Guha, who is also the Dinhata MLA, said, "Brajabashi is not only an Indian citizen but also a scheduled caste citizen. On what grounds did the SP of Kamrup district (in Assam) send an NRC-related letter to a citizen of Dinhata in Cooch Behar. This will not be tolerated here." Uttam Kumar Brajabashi's lawyer questioned how Assam govt could send a letter on NRC to the district SP in Bengal when Bengal govt does not recognise NRC
