NRC officer transferred

TT, BUREAU, 19 October 2019, New Delhi/Guwahati: The Supreme Court has abruptly transferred Prateek Hajela, the Assam coordinator for the National Register of Citizens, who had come under criticism from the BJP and others after the final list excluded more than Hindus that was estimated earlier.

Hajela has been transferred to Madhya Pradesh upon a reported personal request from the IAS officer.

The Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices S.A. Bobde and Justice R.F. Nariman did not specify any reason for the transfer. When attorney-general K.K. Venugopal sought the reason for the transfer, Justice Gogoi asked: "Can an order be passed without any basis?" Unconfirmed reports suggested that threats might have been behind the request for the transfer.

The apex court said the transfer orders shall be issued by the Centre/state "forthwith" and "in any case within seven days from today".

Hajela had led a mammoth effort that culminated in the final NRC. Contrary to expectations, out of the 19 lakh alleged illegal immigrants excluded, nearly 12 lakh are said to be Hindus.

The number prompted the ruling BJP, an ardent advocate of enforcing the NRC in the entire country, to distance itself from the NRC and prompted Union home minister to step up efforts to get passed a Citizenship bill that protects people from most religions except Muslims.

But multiple groups in Assam are insisting that all illegal immigrants, regardless of their religion, should be deported, plunging the BJP in a dilemma. These groups also feel that the figure of 19 lakh is too low.

Assam BJP spokesperson Rupam Goswami told The Telegraph: "We have already said that Hajela has committed a mistake. Hajela has misled everyone. We are happy as the NRC has not been finalised yet. Thanks to the SC!" The Opposition Congress was guarded but asserted the BJP's "conspiracy" to oust Hajela had succeeded.