– Shabana Javed
Kolkata: Uttam Kumar Brajbasi, a long-time resident of Dinhata in West Bengal’s Cooch Behar district, has received a shocking notice from the Foreigners Tribunal of the Assam government, identifying him as an ‘illegal infiltrator’. The notice claims he entered India between 1966 and 1971 via the Assam border and failed to provide valid identity documents, allegations he firmly denies.
Brajbasi, who lives in the Sadial Kuthi area of Dinhata, expressed disbelief at the development. “I have never even been outside West Bengal, let alone crossed into Assam,” he stated. He added that he possesses valid documents including an Aadhaar card and a voter ID, which he says were ignored during the verification process.
The notice was issued by the Assam Foreigners Tribunal and delivered through the District Superintendent of Police’s office on Sunday. It accuses Brajbasi of being unable to prove Indian citizenship during police verification, leading to his classification as an illegal entrant. The issue has triggered strong political reactions. Trinamool Rajya Sabha MP and Migrant Workers Welfare Board Chairman Samirul Islam had raised the issue on Monday. In a post on social media, he alleged that the BJP government of Assam had sent an NRC notice to Uttam, a resident of Cooch Behar. Samirul showed documents and said that Uttam’s name was first registered in the voter list in 1966. He questioned how the Assam government sent an NRC notice to that person even after that.
After Sameerul, this time the Trinamool leader herself has slammed the BJP government in Assam over the issue. Referring to the person from Dinhata, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to social media on Tuesday, expressing her shock and concern. It is deeply disturbing that a respected member of the Rajbangshi community, a resident of Bengal for over 50 years, has been served an NRC notice. Despite having valid identification, he is being harassed as a foreigner, she wrote.
Banerjee further alleged a political motive behind the move, calling it “a planned attack on democracy”. She accused the BJP-led central government of attempting to force the NRC in West Bengal without constitutional grounds. This is a deliberate effort to target and disenfranchise marginalised communities she said.
The Chief Minister has long opposed the NRC, arguing that it fosters division along ethnic and religious lines. The current incident, she said, validates growing concerns among citizens. Local authorities in Dinhata have initiated an investigation into the incident, and efforts are underway to clarify how a West Bengal resident came under the scrutiny of Assam’s Foreigners Tribunal. Meanwhile, Uttam Brajbasi remains firm. “This allegation is completely false. I have all necessary documents to prove my citizenship. I will fight this legally,” he affirmed.
