Skip to content Skip to navigation

NRC Biometrics Concerns Gorkhas: Parisangh Demands Release of Locked Biometrics Data

By AT News |

The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) Assam State 2023-2026 Silver Jubilee Committee was sworn in on Sunday at the Moni Kumar Subba Bhawan in Guwahati, with 51 members elected to the committee. The committee is led by President Amar Adhikari from Guwahati, Working President Mohan Lal Sharma from Tinsukia, and Secretary General Nanda Kirati Dewan from Golaghat. In a congratulatory speech, chairman of Gorkha Development Council (GDC), Government of Assam, Prem Tamang appreciated the work of the Parisangh nationally and activities of Assam state.

The first Extended Executive Meeting resolved to take up the issue of NRC blocked biometrics. According to Nanda Kirati Dewan, Secretary General, Assam State Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, the biometrics held by the NRC authorities have deprived common people of basic fundamental rights, including families below the poverty line. Rural Final Inclusion initiative and Direct Benefits Transfer (DBF) schemes of the Government of India and Government of Assam have been affected, causing serious banking KYC and other documentation concerns. The executive also resolved to work on the "Teok Ouguri Declaration" adopted at the 6th Trinnenial State Conference of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh.

Dewan stressed that the Government of Assam and NRC Authority should file an interlocutory application (IA) before the Supreme Court of India with respect to the biometrics issues of almost 28 lakh people, including nearly 1 lakh Gorkhas. Dewan appealed to the government to adopt immediate measures at the earliest possible.

If the government remains reluctant, the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh will explore legal options before the Supreme Court for ensuring basic fundamental rights on constitutional grounds. Outgoing Secretary General Bimal Pradhan, who has been appointed National General Secretary (Organisation), anchored the ceremony, and outgoing President Prakash Dahal presided over the event. The first Extended Executive Meeting held under the presidentship of Amar Adhikari unanimously extended a vote of thanks and gratitude to the outgoing team and recommended inducting Prakash Dahal as Joint Secretary General in the national committee at the forthcoming National Executive Meet (NEM) and 23rd Foundation Day to be held at Siliguri, North Bengal, on 5th and 6th April 2023, to be hosted by Siliguri Divisional Committee BGP.

The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh is a national social organization that represents the Gorkha community across India. The newly elected committee in Assam State is tasked with ensuring that the interests and rights of the Gorkha community are protected in the state.

One of the main concerns raised by the Parisangh is the issue of blocked biometrics data. According to Nanda Kirati Dewan, the Secretary General of the Assam State Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh, biometrics data held by the NRC authorities has deprived common people of their basic fundamental rights. Families below the poverty line have been stripped of essentials from the Public Distribution Schemes (PDS), Fair Price Shops (FPS), and other government schemes.

The Parisangh has demanded that the government of Assam and the NRC Authority file an interlocutory application (IA) before the Supreme Court of India with respect to the biometrics issue of almost 28 lakh people, including nearly 1 lakh Gorkhas. The executive committee has stressed that this issue needs to be addressed urgently, and they will explore legal options before the Supreme Court if the government remains reluctant.

Apart from the issue of blocked biometrics, the Parisangh has also resolved to work on the 'Teok Ouguri Declaration' adopted at the 6th Trinnenial State Conference of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh held on 4th and 5th February 2023. The committee has also extended their vote of thanks and gratitude to the outgoing team and recommended the induction of Prakash Dahal as Joint Secretary General in the national committee at the forthcoming National Executive Meet (NEM) and 23rd Foundation Day to be held at Siliguri, North Bengal on 5th and 6th April 2023.

  • 44750 reads

Add new comment

Other Contents by Author

Meghalaya CM Meets USTM Vice-Chancellor Mahbubul Haque

After being released on bail, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma met Mahbubul Haque, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM), at the Chief Minister's residence. This was the first meeting of Sangma after his release from custody. During their meeting, it is reported that the Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, discussed the use of unethical methods in examinations. Following the meeting, Haque described the discussion as "important and insightful," noting that the Chief Minister had provided valuable advice. After spending nearly a month in custody, Haque expressed his intention to focus on the education sector at USTM. He emphasized...

Six Countries Impose Travel Ban to Assam and Northeast India

In a significant development, six developed countries have imposed travel restrictions on Assam and Northeast India, citing concerns over the region's law and order situation. The countries include the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Switzerland. This alarming information was shared by Assam's Tourism Minister, Ranjit Kumar Das, in response to a query by Congress MLA Rekibuddin Ahmed during the Assam Legislative Assembly session on Tuesday. According to the Minister, the decision to impose the ban is primarily due to concerns over the law and order situation in the region. However, he assured that efforts are underway, in coordination with the...

Journalist Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar Granted Bail After Controversial Arrest

Senior journalist Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar was granted bail on Wednesday after being arrested under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The Chief Judicial Magistrate (Kamrup) granted the bail, and Mazumdar is expected to be released on Thursday after furnishing the required bonds. Mazumdar was detained late on March 25 after questioning Assam Cooperative Apex Bank’s Managing Director, Dambaru Saikia, during a protest against alleged financial irregularities. His arrest, based on allegations of abusing a security guard, sparked widespread condemnation, with media organizations and opposition parties accusing the BJP-led government of suppressing dissent. Journalists staged...

Congress Accuses Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma of Undermining Democracy, Calls for Public Resistance

The Congress party has alleged that an "undeclared emergency" is prevailing in Assam under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's government. Speaking at a press conference at Rajiv Bhavan in Guwahati, AICC Secretary in charge of Assam, Manoj Chauhan, accused the Chief Minister of suppressing constitutional rights and using police forces to target journalists, MPs, and opposition leaders. Chauhan stated that the Congress party will launch a public movement against the oppression and alleged that Sarma has been exerting pressure on all sections of society. “In his obsession with power, the Chief Minister is violating basic rights. The more he tries to suppress dissent, the stronger the...

Journalist Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar Arrested in Guwahati, Sparks Outrage

The Assam Police have arrested senior digital media journalist Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar in Guwahati’s Panbazar, triggering widespread criticism. Allegations suggest that he was arrested after attempting to question Assam Co-operative Apex Bank’s Managing Director Dambaru Saikia regarding a multi-crore recruitment scam. Sequence of Events: The National Youth Power, a youth wing associated with the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP),** was protesting against the alleged scam in the bank. Journalist Dilwar Hussain Mazumdar arrived at the bank premises to cover the protest. He attempted to question the bank’s Managing Director about the scam. Later, the police summoned him to the...

Assam Joins Global Earth Hour Movement, Highlights Water Conservation Efforts

Assam actively participated in Earth Hour 2025 on Saturday, March 22, by switching off non-essential lights from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., aligning with the global movement for environmental awareness. The event, organized by WWF-India in collaboration with local partners, also emphasized the importance of water conservation under the theme #BeWaterWise, marking the convergence of Earth Hour with World Water Day. Prominent landmarks across the state, including the Assam Legislative Assembly, Gauhati High Court, Chief Minister’s Secretariat in Dibrugarh, and historical sites like Rang Ghar, Kareng Ghar, and Charaideo Maidam, participated in the symbolic switch-off. In Guwahati, notable...

Northeast Faces Water Crisis: NEIWT Calls for Urgent Action on Climate Resilience

The rivers of Northeast India are changing, and not for the better. Once lifelines of the region, they are now at risk due to glacial retreat, erratic rainfall and intensifying floods. On World Water Day 2025, the North-East India Water Talks, or NEIWT, sounded the alarm, submitting a memorandum to key policymakers, including the governor of Manipur, the chief minister of Tripura and water resources ministers from all Northeastern states. Their message was clear: Act now, or the region faces a dire water crisis. Melting Glaciers a Looming Threat This year’s theme, “Glacier Preservation,” reflects a sobering reality—Himalayan glaciers are disappearing. Scientists warn that by 2050,...

Surojit Academy Celebrates World Puppetry and Mime Day

Surojit Academy, located on the Assam Engineering College campus, celebrated World Puppetry Day on March 21 and World Mime Day on the same occasion, though it is officially observed on March 22. This year’s theme for World Puppetry Day was “Robots, Artificial Intelligence, and the Dreams of Puppets.” The event featured a speech by Binita Devi, recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar and director of Surojit Academy, on the role of artificial intelligence in puppetry. Abani Sharma, a leading puppeteer from Assam who has performed in India and Spain, was felicitated at the event. Dr. Kuldeep Patgiri, another Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar awardee, attended as a distinguished...

Guwahati: Sculptor Sankar Kalita from Paikana Village Missing for Over a Month After Traveling to Mumbai

Renowned sculptor Sankar Kalita from Paikana village near Baihata Chariali in Kamrup district, who had established himself in Guwahati, has been missing for over a month and a half, causing concern in the area. Kalita, who moved to Guwahati around 30 years ago to pursue sculpting, has been involved in creating numerous sculptures across Guwahati and various parts of Assam. Recently, he had set up his own sculpting studio in Vetapara, Guwahati. However, in a mysterious turn of events, he traveled to Mumbai in late December for business-related work and has not returned since. According to family members, Kalita had planned to return home during Magh Bihu but later informed them that he...

64 Polytechnic Lecturers Terminated After 23-Day Hunger Strike for Job Regularization

In a controversial move, the Assam government has terminated 64 lecturers from polytechnic institutes who were protesting for the regularization of their jobs. These lecturers had been on a hunger strike for 23 days, demanding that their temporary positions be made permanent. They were initially appointed during the tenure of Himanta Biswa Sarma as the Education Minister. The lecturers, who have been working as founder faculty members in polytechnics for eight years, had come to Guwahati during the budget session to appeal to the government regarding their demands. However, the government’s refusal to regularize their jobs forced them to stage a protest under the open sky. Their...