Assam: 85-year-old woman to prove her citizenship one more time after 21 years

Guwahati, 29 July (SocialNews.XYZ) An 85-year-old woman in Assam who was earlier declared Indian by a Foreigner's Tribunal court, has been sent a notice to prove her citizenship once again.

The lady, Bhanumati Baroi lives in the Boko area of Kamrup (rural) district and is alleged to be a foreigner by the border police. Due to old-age illness and fracture in one leg, Baroi cannot walk normally by herself.

In 1998, the police made a similar allegation against Bhanumati. That time, she appeared before a Foreigner's Tribunal court in the state and deposited the voter list of 1965 and 1971, where her father's name was mentioned. Along with that, she deposited Panchayat certificates and other relevant documents in support of her claim as an Indian citizen.

In 2001, the Foreigner's Tribunal court in Nalbari declared Bhanumati an Indian.

But, after 21 years, the police again accused her of being a foreigner and a notice was sent to her house from Boko's Chomoria police station.

Bhanumati hails from Jashedarpam village in the Barpeta district. She shifted to Boko after her marriage with Gopal Baroi of Trilochan village in the Boko area. She has two sons.

Sanjoy Sarkar, Kamrup district president of All Assam Bengali Parishad said that the family lives in very poor condition and their sufferings have increased after they received the foreigner's notice recently.

He has also claimed that Bhanumati's name appeared in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and she has cast her vote in several elections.

Meanwhile, Assam Congress working president and MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha visited Bhanumati's house and took a jibe at BJP. He alleged that though BJP promised to give citizenship to Hindu Bengalis, the ground reality is exactly the opposite; and that in Assam, Hindu Bengalis are targeted in the name of NRC under the ruling dispensation.

Source: IANS