Vigil has been intensified in the two Assam bordering districts - Coochbehar and Alipurduar.
Hours after the second and final draft of the National Register of Citizens or the NRC was published in Assam, the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ordered the state Director General of Police (DGP), Virendra to intensify vigil and patrolling across the Bengal-Assam border to prevent any influx or a spill over by those whose names have not featured on the draft.
Vigil has been intensified in the two Assam bordering districts - Coochbehar and Alipurduar. On Monday morning, several check posts, nakas were put in place across the Barabisa highway off the Bengal-Assam border. District police officials were seen checking each incoming vehicle from Assam into Bengal. This apart, officials were also seen patrolling the villages that fall under the Bengal and Assam border.
Meanwhile, District Magistrate and SP of Alipurduar district met their Assam counterpart – District Magistrate and SP of Kokrajhar district in Assam to prevent any spill over. “I spoke to the Kokrajhar DM, our SP has spoken to the Kokrajhar SP, they are saying that there will not be any trouble this time as this is only a draft and not a final list. Those, whose names didn’t feature on the list, can file claims to get their names features on the final list. But, we have intensified vigil and patrolling on the borders,” said Nikhil Nirmal, District Magistrate of Alipurduar district.
In the backdrop of intensified vigil, a high-level police delegation will be visiting Alipurduar district on Tuesday to check on the preparedness to avoid any such influx from across the Assam border.
A delegation led by Additional Director General of Police (ADG) CID will be carrying out a survey of the border areas and access the situation on the inter-state borders. Other IG, DIG and SP rank officers are likely to be a part of the delegation.
Around 40.07 lakh applicants, however, did not find a place in the document, touted to be a proof of Assamese identity. Banerjee alleged that the exclusion of over 40 lakh people was an "attempt to evict the Bengalis from Assam".
Asked whether West Bengal would give shelter to those whose names have not appeared in the final NRC draft, she was quoted saying by PTI, "They have their homes...They are inhabitants of Assam. We will think about it if they want to come. But why should they be evicted?" "They are Indians, but they have become refugees in their own land," she said.
With inputs from PTI
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