Just days after the final National Register of Citizens (NRC) was published in Assam, a people’s tribunal is being organised in New Delhi to discuss issues related to citizenship. The two day program titled People’s Tribunal on Contested Citizenship in Assam – Constitutional processes and the human cost, is being held on September 7 and 8, 2019.
Image Courtesy: Live Law
Speakers include a veritable who’s who from the world of social activism, law and journalism such as senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, CJP secretary Teesta Setalvad and social activist Harsh Mander. Senior advocates Mihir Desai and Vrinda Grover, who were a part of CJP’s Citizens for Assam delegation to Assam in June 2019, are also key speakers at the event. Other speakers include Mrinal Sharma from Amnesty International, Saajad Hassan from Citizens Against Hate, Gauhati High Court advocate Mustafa Khaddam Hussain, senior journalist Sanjoy Hazarika and Assamese writer Mitra Phuken.
The tribunal has been co-organised by some of the most respected civil society groups and human rights organisations in the country. These are: Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms – Aman Biradari – Common Cause – National Dalit Movement for Justice – Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan – National Alliance of People’s Movements – Satark Nagrik Sangathan – Citizens for Justice and Peace – Delhi Solidarity Group – Swaraj Abhiyaan – Citizens Against Hate – Human Rights Law Network.
According to the organisers it is important to conduct such a people’s tribunal in wake of exclusion of over 19 lakh people from the final NRC because the people worst affected, “… are overwhelmingly from minority ethnic, religious and linguistic groups – consisting Muslims and Hindus of Bengali descent and Nepali-speaking populations – with high percentages of women, children and daily wage workers, all among the most marginalized and excluded communities.”