Guwahati: An Assam-based retired armyman has said that the Foreigners’ Tribunal has sent him a notice asking him to prove that he is not an illegal Bangladeshi migrant but an Indian citizen.
Mohd Azmal Hoque, a former Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) who had retired from service on September 30, 2016 told reporters on Saturday that he had a received the notice placing him in the ‘doubtful-voter’ category.
It also charged him with having entered India in 1971 without proper documents, he said. “I have served the Indian Army for 30 years,” Hoque said, adding that the notice asked him to appear before a local tribunal on October 13 with relevant documents to prove his Indian citizenship.
The retired JCO said he had missed the first date for appearing before the tribunal on September 11 as he had received the notice after that date. He said he will appear before the tribunal on October 13.
“In 2012 also, I had received a notice saying I was a doubtful voter, but I submitted all documents in the tribunal court and it had declared me an Indian citizen”, he said.
“Why do I have to be humiliated so many times? I request the prime minister, the President and the home minister to end this harassment to a proper citizen,” Hoque said.
He said he is not the first member of his family to have been served with such a notice. In 2012, his wife Mamtaj Begum was also summoned by the tribunal to prove her citizenship.
The issue was brought to the attention of the army by a twitter post from lawyer Aman Wadud on Saturday, in which he said, “Mohd.Azmal Haque,served in Indian Army for 30yrs, Retd as Junior Com Officer,now accused of being illegal immigrant by AssamPolice. @adgpi”.
In response to the tweet, the Eastern Command of the army said, “necessary assistance will be provided to the veteran”.
Meanwhile, Assam Director General of Police Mukesh Sahay said the police was looking into the matter.
PTI
