A group of people in Assam on Wednesday expressed concern over “false” objections raised by some persons with “vested interests” to “harass genuine Indian citizens” whose names have appeared in the draft National Register of Citizens.

Complaints have been raised by persons and groups with “vested interests” against “genuine” citizens who have established lineage dating back to the early 19th century, claimed journalist and convener of the Centre for Justice and Peace Zamsher Ali.

Objections have been filed against Mr. Ali’s seven-year-old daughter and the “entire family, tracing its lineage to the same legacy data, has to be present at the NRC Seva Kendra to prove her citizenship”.

Missing complainants

The complainants do not even appear before the authorities at the time of hearing of their pleas, the journalist alleged. “It is a concerted effort to ensure that names of genuine Indian citizens are deleted from the final NRC,” he said.

Objections have also been filed against the inclusion of the name of Hara Kumar Goswami, a social activist of Rampur village in Barpeta district. “There is no history of migration in our village but objections have been filed against five persons, including me, mainly because we highlight the problems being faced by people struggling to establish their citizenship and those who have been declared as D-voters,” Mr. Goswami said.

Researcher and social activist Syeda Mehjabeen Rahman said, “In my case, objection has been filed against me and my uncle.”

She alleged that authorities of the NRC Seva Kendras were “in league” with the complainants by providing them with the Application Receipt Number of the applicants. “It is mandatory for a complainant to mention the ARN of the person, against whom the objection is being filed. But this is known only to the applicants and the authorities at the Seva Kendras,” Ms. Rahman said.

Student leader and writer Ashraful Hussain, whose five-year-old niece has been served with a notice, said, “The exercise is being conducted under the supervision of the Supreme Court, but its guidelines are being flouted at the ground level... we want an inclusive list in which the names of all genuine Indian citizens are included.”