Declared Foreigner, Assam Teacher Loses Job Amid Controversy

The Assam Government’s Department of Elementary Education has terminated a teacher from service following a declaration by a Foreigners' Tribunal that he is a foreigner.

The terminated teacher, Khairul Islam, was serving at the Thengshali Khandapukhuri Primary School. A case was registered against Khairul Islam in 1997 by the Border Branch of Morigaon Police, accusing him of being a suspected foreigner. Subsequently, on February 20, 2015, the Morigaon No. 3 Foreigners' Tribunal declared him a foreigner.

When Khairul Islam approached the Gauhati High Court, the court upheld the tribunal’s verdict on January 13, 2018. Despite this, at the time, the Deputy Commissioner of Morigaon appointed Khairul Islam to assist in the preparation of the final NRC (National Register of Citizens) list, which triggered widespread reactions across the state.

Following public outrage, the Elementary Education Department suspended Khairul Islam. Later, police apprehended him and confined him to a detention camp for two years. Though he sought relief from the Supreme Court, no judgment has been delivered in his favour as of now.