Human rights activist and writer Harsh Mander said the National Register of Citizens (NRC) cannot be greater than the Constitution, which guarantees rights to people.

Addressing an awareness meeting here on Wednesday, closely monitored by the Baksa district administration, police and paramilitary force, Mander urged both the Centre and the Assam government to follow the Constitution’s basic principles while updating the NRC.

The updated NRC will be published on July 31.

Prior to the meeting, the district administration issued a directive, “warning” the organisers that the speakers should not to engage in “seditious, inflammatory and incendiary” speeches or speak against the Supreme Court-monitored NRC update process. “Violation of the directive may attract legal action in the interests of smooth implementation of the register update,” it said.

The meeting organisers, activists and others dubbed the directive as a means to “suppress the principles of fundamental rights like the Emergency”. The organisers also had to give a written undertaking that they will abide by the directive.

The directive also mentioned that the Salbari sub-divisional police officer will ensure an uninterrupted video recording of the entire programme and submit an unedited copy of the recording to the Baksa deputy commissioner, Baksa and Mushalpur superintendents of police and officer-in-charge of Gobardhana police station.

Mander said he would not speak on the NRC. “I request the authorities concerned to respect the Constitution. The NRC cannot be greater than the Constitution. I ask everyone to show their love towards their country,” he said before ending his speech with a salute to Mahatma Gandhi, to the country and the Constitution. Over 1,000 people, including activists, academicians, litterateurs, civil society workers and minority students’ organisations leaders among others, attended and addressed the meeting.

“It is really sad that such a directive was issued. It toes the line of authoritarian tendencies. It also reflects the insecurities of the state. It cannot be a democracy when the government doesn’t allow a public discussion. The government with an ounce of empathy should listen to the voices of those who are concerned and make attempts to solve it instead of suppressing it. I urge the authorities to update the NRC following the principles of the Constitution. It should be fair. Any forms of resistance should be fought as per the constitutional norms,” Mander told The Telegraph.

A litterateur who delivered a speech said, “I am surprised that the words ‘seditious’, ‘inflammatory’ and ‘incendiary’ have been used. How can a public meeting on constitutional rights tantamount to sedition?” The organisers were local rights activists from Baksa and Barpeta districts. Abdul Kalam Azad, an organiser, said, “Mander is a peace activist and a human rights propagator. He came to speak about constitutional rights. It is surprising that speaking on constitutional rights can lead to issuance of such directives.”

When contacted, Baksa DC Bhaskar Pegu said, “The directive was necessary as the countdown to NRC is a sensitive phase. Such public meetings need to be monitored to prevent untoward incidents. Harsh Mander is not a controversial person. But he has been working on detention camps. People might take it otherwise if he speaks on such issues. Also, there are some groups that we have to look out. The directive of preventing not to speak on NRC was to prevent any flare up.”