No Indian will have to prove ancestry, Common documents enough: MHA
NEW DELHI : No Indian will have to prove citizenship by showing documents like identity cards or birth certificates of parents or grandparents dating back to a period before 1971, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Friday. In a series of tweets, a home ministry spokesperson said that common documents to prove the citizenship would be enough.
No Indian will have to prove citizenship by showing documents like identity cards or birth certificates of parents or grandparents dating back to a period before 1971, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Friday. In a series of tweets, a home ministry spokesperson said that common documents to prove the citizenship would be enough.
The MHA spokesperson also said that the citizenship of India can be proved by “giving any document relating to date of birth or place of birth or both”. The ministry said illiterate citizens not having any documents, will be allowed to produce witnesses or local proofs supported by members of the community.
With protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act breaking out every day, the centre is on an overdrive to dispel fears that the controversial law and the proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) will leave millions of Muslims without a nation.
The MHA spokesperson also said that the citizenship of India can be proved by “giving any document relating to date of birth or place of birth or both”. The ministry said illiterate citizens not having any documents, will be allowed to produce witnesses or local proofs supported by members of the community.
“Citizenship of India may be proved by giving any document relating to the date of birth or place of birth or both. Such a list is likely to include a lot of common documents to ensure that no Indian citizen is unduly harassed or put to inconvenience,” the spokesperson said.A well laid-out procedure in this regard will be issued by the home ministry.Therefore, there is no question of any influx of foreigners swamping the indigenous population.
The MHA said, “Indian citizens do not have to prove any ancestry by presenting documents like identity cards, birth certificates etc of parents/grand parents dating back to pre-1971 situation. Illiterate citizens, who may not have any documents, authorities may allow them to produce witnesses or local proofs supported by members of community.”
The clarification by the home ministry has come a week after the Citizenship Amendment Act was passed by Parliament and assented by the President and at a time when questions have been raised regarding the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) which is reportedly next on the Central government’s list.
Home Minister Amit Shah has, however, set a deadline for the implementation of the NRC. Addressing a public rally in Jharkhand, Amit Shah said the NRC would be rolled out before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
On the CAA , the MHA said that the citizenship of India can be acquired by birth, descent, registration, naturalisation or incorporation of territory. “Any foreigner on becoming eligible can acquire citizenship by registration or by naturalisation irrespective of his country or community.”
“The CAA does NOT apply to Indian citizens. They are completely unaffected by it,” the home ministry clarified. The ministry spokesperson also said that immigrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan would be given citizenship if they fulfill the eligibility conditions.
It said, “In the last 6 years, 2830 Pakistani, 912 Afghani and 172 Bangladeshi citizens have been given Indian citizenship. Many of them are from majority community of these countries. Such migrants of the majority community of neighboring countries shall continue to get Indian citizenship if they fulfill the eligibility conditions already provided in the law for registration or naturalisation.
“The CAA does not target any religious community from abroad. It only provides a mechanism for some migrants who may otherwise have been called “illegal” depriving them of opportunity to apply for Indian citizenship provided they meet certain conditions,” the spokesperson said.
