NRC Biometrics concerns Gorkhas : Parisangh demands release of locked biometrics data held by NRC authorities

Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP), Assam State 2023-2026 Silver Jubilee Committee sworn at Moni Kumar Subba Bhawan, Guwahati. Amar Adhikari from Guwahati and Nanda Kirati Dewan from Golaghat sworn in as President and Secretary General with 51 office bearers and executive members.

KalimNews, Guwahati (Assam) 13th March 2023 : The Silver Jubilee Committee elected for the session of 2023-2026 of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, Assam State was sworn on Sunday at the Moni Kumar Subba Bhawan in Guwahati. 51 member committee lead by President Amar Adhikari from Guwahati, Working President Mohan Lal Sharma from Tinsukia and Secretary General Nanda Kirati Dewan from Golaghat  were administered oath of office and secrecy by National Working President BGP Nityananda Upadhyay in gracious presence of following observers National Vice President BGP and Incharge of South India Yam Prasad Ghimire, President of NE Zone BGP Dr. Dilip Chetri and Ramesh Bastola, National General Secretary of the youth wing of BGP.

In his congratulatory speech Prem Tamang, chairman of Gorkha Development Council (GDC), Government of Assam appreciated the works of the Parisangh nationally and activities of Assam state. ' It is our collective responsibility to extend all possible support to the Parisangh in Assam since the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) is the only national social organisation of the Gorkhas in India', Prem Tamang said addressing the audience present and wished the newly elected committee a successful silver jubilee in 2026. Arjun Chetri and Numal Chetri respectively President and General Secretary of All Assam Gorkha Students' Union (AAGSU), Harka Bahadur Chetri, Chairman, Gorkha Autonomous Council Demand Committee (GACDC), Dr. Indu Prabha Devi, Vice President of Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha (ANSS), Ganesh Sharma, Treasurer, Assam Gorkha Sammelan (AGS), Dilu Sharma, President BTR Region AGS, Bhaskar Dahal, former President AAGSU, Puspadhar Sarma, founder and former president NE Zone Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh attended & addressed the sweaing in ceremony, extended best wishes to newly formed Assam State Committee of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh.

Briefing correspondents in Guwahati Nanda Kirati Dewan, Secretary General, Assam State Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh said, ' The first Extended Executive Meeting resolved to take up the issue of NRC blocked biometrics. Due to biometrics held by the NRC authorities’ common people have been deprived of basic fundamental rights. Families below the poverty line have been stripped of essentials from the Public Distribution Schemes (PDS), Fair Price Shops (FPS). Rural Final Inclusion initiative and Direct Benefits Transfer (DBF) schemes of Government of India and Government of Assam have been worsely affected causing serious banking KYC and other documentation concerns.', Dewan lamented.

Dewan further stressed that the Government of Assam and NRC Authority should file an interlocutory application (IA) before the Supreme Court of India with respect to the biometrics issues of almost 28 lakhs  people including nearly 1 Lakh Gorkhas.

'This issue needs immediate attention from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) from the Government of Assam and the Ministry of Home Affairs, Goverment of India. If the Government remains reluctant, Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh will explore legal options before the Supreme Court for ensuring basic fundamental rights on constitutional grounds.', Nanda Kirati Dewan said appealing government to adopt immediate measures at the earliest possible.

The executive also resolved to work on the 'Teok Ouguri Declaration' adopted at the 6th Trinnenial State Conference of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh held on 4th and 5th February 2023 at Anusuchitjati Nepali Janjati Uchcha Madhyamik Bidhyalay at Ouguri near Teok in Jorhat where the new committee was elected. The ceremony was anchored by outgoing Secretary General Bimal Pradhan who has been appointed National General Secretary (Organisation) and presided by outgoing President Prakash Dahal till the charges were handed over. The first Extended Executive Meeting held under the presidentship of Amar Adhikari unanimously extended vote of thanks and gratitude to the outgoing team and recommended to induct Prakash Dahal as Joint Secretary General in the national committee at the forthcoming National Executive Meet (NEM) and 23rd Foundation Day to be held at Siliguri, North Bengal on 5th and 6th April 2023 to be hosted by Siliguri Divisional Committee BGP.

Mrs. Laxmi Subedi and Mrs. Troun Devi were sworn in as Senior Vice President and Secretary (Women Affairs and Finance) from the Bharatiya Gorkha Mahila Parisangh the women wing of BGP, Dr. Sukmaya Lama and Dr. Raju Subba were sworn in as Vice President (Youth Affairs & Higher Education) and Joint General Secretary (General Administration) from the Bharatiya Gorkha Yuva Parisangh the youth wing BGP along with Roshan Gurung, Secretary Education and Madhav Prasad Upadhyay, Secretary Legal Affairs. District Observers and responsibilities of the office bearers too were assigned. The Assam State Committee BGP will celebrate its 23rd Foundation Day in Guwahati on 6th April 2023 with a day-long programme.