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NRC or No NRC, I Was Born an Indian and I’ll Die One!

For 20 years, Samsul, a retired Indian Air Force Officer, has existed as a ‘doubtful’ citizen in official records.

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Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam
Cameraperson: Tridip K Mandal

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Being Indian is my birthright and I’ll die as an Indian. My name has to be there in the NRC. Jai Hind!
Samsul Haque Ahmed, Retd Sergeant, Indian Air Force

This is Samsul Haque’s response when asked about his non-inclusion in the Assam NRC. After serving the Indian Air Force for 35 years, Samsul is now a retired sergeant.

For 20 years, Samsul, a retired Indian Air Force Officer, has existed as a ‘doubtful’ citizen in official records.
Samsul Haque.
(Photo: The Quint/Tridip K Mandal)

He lives in Balukuri NC Village in Barpeta district of Assam. Samsul, his wife Noorjahan and their two children haven’t made it to the recently released draft of the National Register of Citizens or NRC.

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In 2014, when Samsul returned to his native village after retiring from the Indian Air Force, he found that he has been listed as a ‘D’ Voter or Doubtful Voter by the Election Commission since 1997. For 20 long years he existed as a ‘doubtful’ citizen in official records.

The foreigners’ tribunal served notices to Samsul and his wife Nurjahan. They were asked to prove their Indian citizenship by March, 2016.

In August, 2016 the tribunal gave its verdict.

In 2016, the tribunal said you are not a foreigner. I am an Indian citizen.
Samsul Haque Ahmed, Retd Sergeant, Indian Air Force
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But now after the declaration of the draft of NRC, Samsul and his family have to prove their Indian identities all over again. They have most of the essential documents necessary for enrollment in the NRC.

I was born in 1961, my wife Nurjahan was born in 1966 here in Barpeta. My father’s name was there in the 1951 NRC. That’s the most important document. I even have land records from the 1940s which proves that we were living in India. Yet our name is not in the NRC.
Samsul Haque Ahmed, Retd Sergeant, Indian Air Force

Samsul and Nurjahan are confident that they will make it to the NRC. People whose names are missing can stake claim again to be included from 7 August. But they will need to find the reasons for exclusion and then submit additional documents.

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But for now they are part of the 40 lakh people of Assam who are at the risk of becoming stateless since their names don’t feature in the NRC.

Our two children are settled in the US. They hold Indian passports. But their names are not in the NRC. I just hope we all make it to the final list. But till that happens, we’ll be living with a lot of tension.
Samsul Haque Ahmed, Retd Sergeant, Indian Air Force

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