BIG: Govt puts it in writing, confirms 'No decision to prepare national level NRC' in LS

Answering a starred question in the Lok Sabha on whether the Centre had any plans to introduce the National Register of Citizens, MoS Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Tuesday made it categorically clear that the government had not taken any decision in this regard. This is the government’s first official statement on the NRC in the Parliament. The question pertaining to the possibility of the roll-out of the NRC was raised by LJP MP Chandan Singh and TRS MP Nama Nageswara Rao.  

Read: PM Modi Highlights Pak's Atrocities On Minorities, Slams Opposition For Missed Opportunity

Read the government's official position on NRC here:

Read: TMC Gives Suspension Of Business Notice In RS To Discuss Nationwide Anti-CAA, NRC Protests

PM Modi's assurance

The MoS Home's clarification comes a month after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the Ramlila Maidan where he had assured the people on the NRC. On December 22, the PM accused the Congress of misleading people and attempting to divide the country. Moreover, he reminded the audience that the NRC had been originally created during the Congress regime. Furthermore, he stated that there had been no discussion on the NRC.

PM Modi remarked, "Congress has resorted to their old tactics to divide the country. Citizenship amendment law is not for Indian citizens. This has been said in the Parliament. False statements are not allowed inside the Parliament. Regarding NRC, they are spreading false rumors. NRC was made under Congress rule. Were the protestors sleeping then? We have not made NRC, it has not come to Parliament."

Read: Bihar: College Research Team Held Hostage In Darbhanga On Suspicion Of Being NRC Surveyors

The uproar over the CAA and NRC

There have been nationwide protests against the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act and the NRC. The former was passed by both House of Parliament in December. It seeks to provide citizenship to the minority communities namely Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. This will be applicable to the members of these communities having arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. Moreover, they will not be considered as illegal migrants. 

On the other hand, the NRC has only been conducted in the state of Assam under the supervision of the Supreme Court. However, the opposition has raised the apprehension about the possibility of NRC being implemented along with the CAA. It has been alleged that a particular community would be targeted in this process. 

Read: CPI Leaders D Raja & Binoy Viswam Detained By Delhi Police During Anti CAA, NRC Protest