A lower Assam-based citizen and constitutional collective on Thursday launched an awareness campaign among people dwelling on the fringes, including sars (sandbars) and riverine areas, in Barpeta district on the December 31 deadline to file claims for inclusion in the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Sambidhan Sevak is an initiative of human rights activist and former National Human Rights Commission monitor for minorities Harsh Mander. Under this initiative, local youths are being taught about the Constitution and the citizenship rights it guarantees, and spreads awareness about it among the people living in remote and vulnerable places.

Sambidhan Sevak volunteers have embarked on a door-to-door loudspeaker campaign to alert people on filing of claims. Two teams are moving in autorickshaws fitted with loudspeakers and stopping at village chowks and marketplaces, urging people to come out and file their claims before the December 31 deadline. They have also set up help desks near the NRC seva kendras (NSK) where volunteers are helping the unlettered fill up their claims forms. On Thursday, the volunteers visited Pahari, Chenibari, Padmapara, Chata, Khongra, Parghat, Pahari Parghat, Shila, Kakphuwa, Rowmari, Ganakpara and other places in Barpeta district. Some of these places are near sars and riverine areas, from where inhabitants come for daily trade and other work.

The team said they found out that there are nearly 1,500 people in the places they visited who have not filed their claims owing to a lack of understanding of the process, failure to provide legacy linkage, technical error and other reasons. The team said besides informing about the deadline, they are also trying to bridge the gap in filing of claims by providing the best possible help.

“The state government should have initiated such measures so that the poor and the illiterate don’t fail to file their claims. We are conducting this campaign as our responsibility to the civil society. The NRC is a state exercise and it is quite important to determine citizenship as genuine citizens shouldn’t get left out. We have embarked on this tour to alert the people to come out and file their claims as soon as possible. We are aiming to cover thousands in the next few days,” said team member Ashraful Hussain.

“Some of the areas where we visited serve as a transit point for people travelling to and from sars. It is the perfect place to alert people about the approaching deadline and to address some of their queries,” he said.

Sambidhan Sevak comprises writers, independent researchers, local journalists, civil society members and other people from different communities in Barpeta district.