Middle East Funds Flowed to Jamiat, Flawed NRC Was the Outcome: Hitesh Dev Sarma

Former State Coordinator of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Hitesh Dev Sarma, has once again taken aim at the state government, alleging negligence in the re-verification of the NRC and questioning foreign funding links of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind.

Sarma, who has often been vocal on the NRC issue, said that a proper investigation would expose how funds from Middle Eastern countries flowed into Assam through Jamiat. “If the National Investigation Agency (NIA) carries out a probe, it will reveal how much money Jamiat received from the Middle East. That is one of the primary reasons why the NRC was prepared in a flawed manner,” he alleged.

He further claimed that the re-verification process of the NRC was stalled due to “friendly ties” between then NRC State Coordinator Prateek Hajela and certain groups. “Because of Hajela’s links, neither a proper re-verification was done, nor any investigation ordered,” Sarma said.

However, while critical of the state’s handling of the NRC issue, Sarma extended his full support to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s eviction drives. “We fully support the Chief Minister’s eviction decision. Those evicted are encroachers, and the government is right to act against them. The protests staged by Jamiat are unacceptable. Their larger plan to turn Assam into a Muslim-majority state is well-known,” he asserted.

Sarma also urged the government to probe possible investments made in Assam through Jamiat’s alleged Middle East connections. “The government must investigate this matter. I can at least provide two witnesses in this regard,” he added.

Also Read: Is Congress the ‘B-Team of Jamiat’ or Is BJP Manufacturing a New Rivalry?