After the meeting, Rakibul Hussain, a member of legislative assembly said that, a controversy had erupted regarding the hateful and partisan social media post from the present, newly appointed, State Coordinator of the NRC, Hitesh Devl Sharma. Earlier, he had been terminated from the charge within the NRC for misdemeanors. A person with a non-biased and neutral outlook should be re appointed instead of the one who has been chosen for the post, the delegation emphasised. Hussain further said that they have also requested that names of genuine Indian citizens who have been left out of the NRC should be included in NRC, while excluding the names of those who are foreigners. As per rule 13 of the NRC, National Identity Card should be issued to the persons whose names are included in the final NRC; he added.

The press clipping may be read here.

Related Articles:

Good bye! Prateek Hajela leaves Assam riding a wave of strong emotions

Once debarred from NRC, Hitesh Dev Sharma in charge of new NRC Coordinator

Prateek Hajela shunted out of Assam, what happens next on the NRC front?

The post Demand for the appointment of a non-partisan State Co-Ordinator at NRC appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Guwahati, November 15: A senior and critical post within the office of the NRC is lying vacant. At a crucial time during the ongoing NRC process in Assam there is a deadlock: the freeze is over the appointment of Hitesh Dev Sharma as the new state coordinator in Assam. This deadlock over the appointment of new NRC coordinator started a few hours after his formal appointment. Hitesh Dev Sharma, an ACS officer, was appointed to this post through a circular issued by the personnel department of the Govt. of Assam on November 9. This appointment was occasioned due to the inter-cadre transfer of Prateek Hajela from Assam to Madhya Pradesh following directions of the Supreme Court of India in October 2019.

Soon after the appointment, a huge controversy broke out on social media. Shockingly, though an ACS officer of Govt of Assam, Hitesh Dev Sharma, sworn to India’s Constitutional vision, Sharma, had been found to be spreading hate through his Facebook posts, for years, since he was discontinued from the post of joint director, NRC two years ago.  Significantly, Sharma is known to enjoy the political patronage of Assam’s strongman politician and BJP’s finance minister in the state, Himanta Biswa Sharma.

As a 1989 batch ACS officer, Sharma was appointed as State Coordinator, NRC on November 9, 2019. The appointment was made by the Govt. of Assam despite the fact that his publicly expressed views, on social media spewed contempt at the NRC process as also spread hate against certain groups of religious and linguistic minorities.

The posts may be viewed here:

Translation

Translation
Political swroodness is must to resolve the political issues. Due to absence of political swroodness (may be for the vested interest) above 50 lakhs East Pakistanis were hugged by Assam in return of the sacrifice of 855 martyr. Those are the supporters of Assam Bandh called on tomorrow. Blessed Assamese!
(22nd October, 2018)

In his posts, the officer displays contempt for and Opposition to the rule of law, which has been laid by the Constitution of India especially related to certain issues within the Citizenship Act, 1955 and also the rules and procedure of NRC. These views of Sharma evoked a sharp reaction from a cross section of Assamese people on social media. It is under these circumstances that, sources revealed to Sabrang India,the Govt. of Assam, has barred him from joining the office of the NRC on the scheduled date of November 11, 2011. Thus, since the departure of PrateekHajela, the office of the State Coordinator, NRC is lying vacant until today. 

Reacting to the appointment of Hitesh Dev Sharma, Congress MP Abdul Khaleque said, “Hitesh Dev Sharma is a biased officer. He is not inclined to respect the basic norms of the NRC process. The people’s aspiration for a just, genuine and error free NRC is not possible under him.” The Congress MP from Barpeta Parliamentary constituency further said, “In his facebook post he has criticised the Assam Accord, which had not only been signed by Union Govt., State Govt. and the Party involved in the Assam agitation, but was also accepted by all sections of the people of Assam. He has criticised the Immigration Expulsion Act, 1950, which was passed by the Union Government. He expresses views that are unconstitutional. This does not befit a govt. officer. The present BJP Govt. in Assam hasbeen initiating disciplinary action against many a governmentemployeefor their “derogatory” statements on social media. How then can the same BJP Govt. reward Hitesh Dev Sharma with such a high level, sensitive and crucial post? If the present BJP Govt is in favour of a just, genuine and error free NRC then it must not allow Hitesh Dev Sharma to sit in the chair of State coordinator, NRC.” The Congress MP also submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister SarbanandaSonowal in this regard.

Dibyajyoti Sharma, noted writer and former General Secretary of AISA said, “Nothing can be aspired from biased, communal official like Hitesh Dev Sharma. If he is given the responsibility of State Coordinator, NRC, then Assam, Assamese society will not survive.” AAMSU Chief Adviser, Ajijur Rahman on the other hand reacted, “NRC is a most sensitive issue. If the Govt. wants a just, genuine and error free NRC, it must rethink on the appointment of Hitesh Dev Sharma and it must be reviewed. Hitesh Dev Sharma is continuously spreading hate against religious and linguistic minorities and no progress will be made under him.”

Meanwhile, the Govt. of Assam is conspicuously silent.  Speaking to Sabrang India, HrishikeshGoswami, the Press Advisor to Chief Minister of Assam said, “I know nothing about the matter, why Hitesh Dev Sharma has not joined as State Coordinator, NRC. I have no information about the deadlock. You better talk to the Home and Political Department, Govt. of Assam.” The Home and Political Department official, remained unavailable for comment despite repeated efforts. Meanwhile ChandamitaMahanta, joint director, NRC when contacted merely said, “We have not been informed why the newly appointed State Coordinator Hitesh Dev Sharma has not joined this office. Earlier, we came to know from the Government communique that he will join this office on November 11, 2019. However, either on that day or after, he has not taken charge. We have no intimation from the government on the matter. “

The NRC work, post publication of the final list on August 31, 2019, continues to remain in a limbo as ordinary citizens grapple with the trauma and dilemma of exclusion.

Related

Good bye! Prateek Hajela leaves Assam riding a wave of strong emotions
Once debarred from NRC, Hitesh Dev Sharma in charge of new NRC Coordinator
Prateek Hajela shunted out of Assam, what happens next on the NRC front?

The post Office of NRC State Coordinator lying vacant for a week: Assam appeared first on SabrangIndia.