Home > DNS

Blog / 25 Jan 2019

(Daily News Scan - DNS English) Citizenship Amendment Bill and NRC

image


(Daily News Scan - DNS English) Citizenship Amendment Bill and NRC


Important Points:

With the citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, the govt. plans to change the definition of illegal migrants. The bill seeks to privilege the claims of non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to Indian citizenship, in the context of subcontinent’s partition. The bill also seeks to reduce the requirement of 11 years of continuous stay in the country to 6 years to obtain citizenship by naturalization.

According To citizenship Act, 1955, an illegal migrant is one who enters India without a valid passport or with forget documents. Or is a person who stays beyond the visa permit. The citizenship Act 1955 is an Act to provide for acquisition & determination of Indian citizenship.

BJP piloted the amendment and got it passed in the Lok Sabha during Winter Session part but the bill is still pending in the Rajya Sabha where NDA is in a minority.

Almost all opposition parties have opposed the idea of granting citizenship on the basis of religion. It’s for the 1st time when such an idea is being contested in the country on this scale. The amendment is also being seen in opposition to schedule 14 which talks about equality and international immigration laws. The opposers believe that the amendment bill will promote illegal immigration.

It’s also argued that when made into an Act, it will nullify the updated NRC. The process of updating NRC is currently underway in Assam which is undertaken as per provisions of the citizenship Act, 1955 + the citizenship (Registration of citizens and issue of national identity cards) Rules, 2003. It was taken up as per SC order in 2013 in order to wean out cases of illegal migration from Bangladesh and other adjoining areas.

Let’s try to find out what actually is NRC:-

It’s National Register of citizens (list of Indian citizens in Assam).

It’s meant to identify a bonafide citizen. NRC was 1st published after the 1951 census in independent India when parts of Assam went to the East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Assam faced influx from Bangladesh since the early 20th, it is the only state having an NRC.

When last updated in 1951, NRC recorded 80 lakh citizens in the state. Since then it’s a contentious issue referring to the process of identification of illegal immigrants in Assam.

During British rule, Assam was merged w/i Bengal Presidency for administrative purposes. From 1826-1947, the British continuously, brought migrant workers to Assam for cheap labour in Tea plantations. The state saw 2 major episodes of Large-Scale migrant influx around partition and in run-up to Bangladesh war in 1971. Flow of illegal migrants contd. And the issue took centre stage when the voter’s list in 1978 by poll to Mangaldoi Loksabha seat saw a surge. A student group called AASU (All Assam Students Union) called for putting off the election till names of foreigners, were struck off the electoral rolls.

This was the start of 6yr agitation that culminated with the signing of Assam accord on Aug 15, 1985. Post this the citizenship Act, 1955 was amended------All Indian-origin people including from Bangladesh who entered Assam before Jan 1,1966 were deemed as citizens. Those who came between Jan 1, 1966 of March 24, 1971 could get citizenship after registering themselves & living for 10/11 Years. Those who entered beyond this, were to be deported.

Now there are demands for the NRC to be implemented in Meghlaya as well with similar demands from Nagaland and Tripura. In Arunanchal, a demand for citizenship to Chakmas has been pending for decades. While the centre is keen to grant them citizenship, it’s being opposed by the state govt.

The Question of what will be the status of the several lakh individuals who would’ve lost Indian citizenship with no recourse has remained unanswered.