NRC tribunal declares Kargil war hero foreigner, Assam Congress MP writes to Amit Shah

Image Credits: Assam Police/Twitter

NEW DELHI: Congress Member of Parliament from Assam Gaurav Gogoi has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over alleged detention of a Kargil War hero for failing to conform with the National Register of Citizens (NCR) rules.       

The Congress MP also informed that Kargil war veteran, Mohammad Sanaullah, has been declared as a foreigner by a tribunal following which he was sent to a detention camp.

Process for Mohammad Sanaullah's deportation has also been initiated, the Gogoi said in his letter to Shah.

In his letter to Shah, who is also the BJP national president, Gogoi stated that he wants relief for the Kargil War veteran and request the Central government to look into his case at the earliest.

Gogoi stated that retired subedar Sanaullah has been in a detention centre after a foreigners tribunal in Assam declared him as ''foreigner'' on May 28.

"I write to you to express my concern over the detention... I sincerely want relief for former Army officer Mohammad Sanaullah and the process should be correct where only genuine Indian citizens find security and foreigners excluded," he said.

"I request you to look into the matter and initiate an enquiry to ensure that they do not continue to perform their duties in this manner. People of Assam are looking towards the government of India for justice," Gogoi said.

Retired Army Subedar Mohammad Sanaullah, a resident of Kolohikash village in Kamrup district, was declared a foreigner by the Foreigners Tribunal, Kamrup on May 28, 2019.

In support of Sanaullah, Gogoi had earlier tweeted, ''To serve the Indian army for so many years is the biggest certificate of patriotism and citizenship. Retired JCP Sanaullah must get justice.'' 

Gogoi's party Congress had also slammed the ruling BJP after the tribunal declared Sanaullah a foreigner.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it shows the "high-handedness and flawed manner" in which the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise is being implemented in the northeastern state.

The draft Assam NRC was published on July 30, 2018, in which the names of 2.89 crore of the 3.29 crore people were included. The names of 40,70,707 people did not figure in the list. Of these, 37,59,630 names have been rejected and the remaining 2,48,077 are on hold.

After his retirement from the Army, Sanaullah was working as Assistant Sub Inspector in the Assam Police (Border). Sanaullah, who had won a President's medal, was declared a foreigner by the Foreigners Tribunal, Kamrup, following a case registered in 2008 after his name was listed as a "D" (doubtful) voter.

Disappointed with the development, Sanaullah's family had said that it would challenge the tribunal's verdict in the Gauhati High Court.