Separatist group ULFA (Independent) chief Paresh Baruah's name included in final draft NRC released on Monday

Guwahati: Separatist ULFA (Independent) ‘commander-in-chief’ Paresh Baruah’s name was in the final draft National Register of Citizens (NRC) released on Monday. His name had also appeared in the first draft published on the intervening night on 31 December 31- 1 January. [caption id=“attachment_1819537” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Ulfa chief Paresh Baruah.[/caption] Paresh Baruah, who launched his revolution for ‘sovereignty’ of Assam nearly 40 years ago and leading it reportedly now from somewhere along the China-Myanmar border, has his name in the complete draft also, along with the names of five of his family members, according to his brother Bikul Baruah. The Complete Draft NRC with his photo states Paresh Baruah’s birthplace as Chakalibhoria village (also known as Jeraigaon) in the Chabua area of upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district and date of birth as 15 February 1957, the brother said. The names of Paresh Baruah’s wife Boby Bhuyan Baruah and his two sons Ankur and Akash could not be included in the list “because some documents were missing. We will complete the process in the next phase,” he added. The names of his five other family members, who appear alongside his name, are his deceased mother Miliki Baruah, brother Bikul Baruah, sister-in-law Renu Baruah, niece Dimpi Baruah and nephew Sukapha Baruah. Baruah’s sister-in-law Renu Baruah told reporters, “Paresh Baruah may not be aware of his inclusion in the draft NRC. I had submitted the legacy data and the application at the NRC seva kendra. So we were certain that his name would feature in the list. Our family is happy about it.” However, the names of Baruah’s wife Boby Bhuyan Baruah and his two sons Ankur and Akash could not be included in the list “because some documents were missing. We will complete the process in the next phase,” Renu said. The ULFA leader’s brother Bikul Baruah, who is a teacher, said his 11 years senior sibling had left home 37 years ago when he was just 12 years old. The Complete draft of the National Register of Citizens was published on Monday with 2.9 crore names out of nearly 3.29 crore applications in Assam for inclusion of their names in the NRC submitted in 2015. Releasing the Complete Draft in Guwahati on Monday, Registrar General of India Sailesh announced that 2,89,83,677 persons were found to be eligible for inclusion in the complete draft of the ambitious National Register of Citizens (NRC) out of a total 3,29,91,384 applicants, leaving the names of 40,07,707 people. Talking about those whose names are not included in the complete draft, Sailesh said, “There is no need to panic as there is ample scope for filing claims and Objections”. The application process had started in May 2015 and a total of 6.56 crore documents were received from 68.31 lakh families across Assam for updation of the NRC under the direction of the Supreme Court. During the update process of the ambitious NRC, touted to be the identity document of Assamese, 62,614 people, including 52,038 government employees were engaged.