People from different walks of life have formed an apolitical committee and decided to reach out to the grassroots to campaign against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the proposed countrywide NRC drive.

The committee has also decided to form a human chain, Manav Bandhan, across the district on January 20.

During a citizens’ convention in Cooch Behar on Saturday, which was attended by lawyers, teachers, academics and social workers, the group formed an “NRC-Birodhi Nagarik Committee”.

Apart from a 33-member committee, a 15-member advisory panel was formed with Kishore Nanda Bhattacharya, a lawyer, as its president.

Former Cooch Behar MLA Soumendra Das is the body’s general secretary.

“We have decided to reach out to the grassroots by visiting civic wards and villagers, explaining them about the perils of the CAA and the NRC,” said Bhattacharya.

A leader of the anti-CAA initiative in Assam, Surat Jamal Mondal also addressed the gathering. “The Assam NRC and the provisions of CAA is a clear indication that that motive of the government is not good. Even in Assam the NRC was not properly conducted as there are cases of some members being included and others getting left out from the same family,” said Mondal.

The Assam leader urged the citizens of Bengal to remain guarded.

Das, said that the Centre was trying to divert the attention of the common people from their failure to address basic issues like poor shape of the economy and rising unemployment and prices.

Cooch Behar district shares its border with Assam which has witnessed widespread and continuous protests against CAA.

Many residents from Cooch Behar who are married in Assam have faced problems because of the NRC.

Arati Gope, a resident of Buxirhat, of Cooch Behar district got married with Manoj Kanti Gope, a homoeopathic doctor of Guwahati about 27 years back. After the implementation of NRC across Assam in April 2019, Arati could not find her name in the list. Though her husband and daughter Luna’s name is in the list.

“When the list was released, only I failed get my name in the NRC list. Since than we are staying in a rented house at Buxirhat. I am scared to return to Assam, as they might put me up I a dentition camp,” Arati, a 51-year old housewife, said.