Assam- Retired Armyman asked to prove his Indian citizenship

Guwahati

A retired Armyman and his wife in Assam were asked to prove they are Indian Citizenship in front of a foreigners’ tribunals set up to track illegal immigrants.

Mahiruddin  Ahmed, a retired Havildar  from Assam who has worked in the Indian Army for 18 years from 1986 to 2004, has been accused of being a Bangladeshi migrant and has been served a notice from the Foreigners Tribunal in Assam.

Ahmad  lives in Barpeta,  now has to appear before the tribunal on Monday.

Mahiruddin Ahmed said “he received a notice in September that claimed he and his wife had entered India after March 24, 1971, and lived here without valid documents”.

His wife Husn-e-ara also has been served a notice on the same. They will have to appear in Foreigner Tribunal court with relevant documentation proving their Indian citizenship.

According to Ahmad , “ he served in the army for long, he was put in the D Voter’s list and an officer told him to sit tight until he get a notice. he got the notice only on 1 September 2017. He plead the government to quickly resolve the matter.”

Ahmad said ” he was born in 1964 in Barpeta, and asked how he could have joined the Army without being an Indian citizen”.   “It is very hurting and shocking that we are subjected to such humiliation after service in a force like the Indian Army,” he was quoted as saying.

Earlier, a case was registered against another retired army man, Mohd Azmal Haque from Guwahati who was accused of being an illegal migrant from Bangladesh.

Expressing sadness Haque said that  “If I were an illegal Bangladeshi, how could I serve the Indian army?” Later, weeks after the accusation, the Assam Police admitted to a case of “mistaken identity” .