SILCHAR (ASSAM):
An 83-year-old Assam woman after a long battle was finally able to prove that she is an Indian citizen, 10 years after her son allegedly committed suicide out of fear after he got notice from Foreigners’ Tribunal, officials said on Thursday.
Akol Rani Namasudhra, a resident of Haritikor village in southern Assam’s Cachar district, following an order of the Foreigners’ Tribunal in Silchar, has been recognised as an Indian citizen.
The tribunal in its order said: “Namasudhra… has successfully proved her case by adducing cogent, reliable and admissible evidence. She has clearly been able to establish the fact of presence of herself on Indian soil as well as in the state of Assam, relatable to a period prior to January 1, 1966 in accordance with law… Namasudhra is a citizen of India and she is not a Foreigner,” said the Tribunal’s order, passed on Wednesday by Foreigner’s Tribunal-4 member Dharmananda Deb.
The octogenarian lady’s son Arjun Namasudra had committed suicide in 2012 out of apprehension after he and his sister Anjali Roy got notice from the Foreigners’ Tribunal.
The BJP during its 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign had raised Arjun’s suicide issue.
BJP’s then Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi while addressing a rally in Assam’s Cachar district on February 23, 2014, mentioned about the tragedy.
Subsequently, BJP leaders including former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal had started visiting slain Arjun’s home to give support to his family.
It was 22 years ago that Akol Rani Namasudhra’s citizenship was first questioned by the Assam police’ border wing but she was not officially aware about the move.
On February 23 this year, the Silchar Foreigner’s Tribunal issued notice to Akol Rani Namasudhra asking her to prove her Indian citizenship.
Akol Rani’s daughter, Anjali Roy, won a similar case in 2012 after her brother Arjun committed suicide.
In 2013, Arjun was also declared an Indian citizen.
According to the Tribunal officials, Akol Rani Namasudhra gave many documents including electoral lists of 1965, 1970, 1977, 1985 and the subsequent years when various elections took place in Assam. IANS