CAA uproar: Home Ministry clarifies 'it has nothing to do with NRC'

Amid the on-going protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Home Ministry sources on Tuesday, December 17, clarified that "the act has nothing to do with deportation of any foreigner or with the National Register of Citizens (NRC)." The sources further clarified that the CAA does not interfere with any Indian citizen.

Speaking about the deportation of foreigners, sources said, "The deportation process of any foreigner irrespective of his religion or country is implemented as per the mandate of the Foreigners Act, 1946 and/or The Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920. These two laws govern entry, stay, movement within India and exit from India of all foreigners irrespective of their religion or country." Further, the MHA sources outlined that the deportation process would apply to any illegal foreigner staying in India.

'No interlinking CAA with NRC'

The Home Ministry sources confuted the interlinking of the CAA with the NRC. According to the sources, "The legal provisions regarding NRC have been part of The Citizenship Act, 1955 since December 2004. Also, there are specific statutory rules of 2003 to operationalise these legal provisions. They govern the process of registration of Indian citizens and the issuance of national identity cards to them. These legal provisions have been on the statute books since the last 15-16 years. The CAA has not altered them in any way whatsoever."

Read: Anti-CAA Protests LIVE updates: Fresh violence in Delhi; Metro stations shut

'Misinformation campaign'

The sources further stated that a "misinformation campaign" has been going on in the country. According to the sources, "The Indian citizens enjoy Fundamental Rights conferred on them by the Constitution of India. No statute including the CAA can abridge or take them away."

Read: NCP leader Supriya Sule attacks Centre over CAA, demands inquiry into police lathicharge

About the CAA

The CAA seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Through this bill, Indian citizenship will be provided to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from the three countries to India till December 31, 2014, to put an end to them being treated as illegal immigrants in the country. The Act was passed by the Lower House of the Parliament earlier this year but lapsed with the term of the previous Lok Sabha during the first term of the PM Narendra Modi government in the Centre. 

Read: A country that beats up students & saves cows: DMK's Kanimozhi protests against CAA

Read: AASU stages Satyagraha against CAA, over 1000 protesters detained in Guwahati

(WITH ANI INPUTS)