'Made clear to Bangladesh- NRC an internal affair, CAA-NRC not connected': India

Clarifying on India's stance and its communication with neighbouring Bangladesh regarding the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Ministry of External Affairs has said on Thursday that they have spoken to Bangladesh. MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar in the weekly briefing said that  India has made it clear to Bangladesh that NRC is an internal issue.  When asked about the repercussions of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), he explained that NRC has nothing to do with the amended citizenship law.

He said: "We have explained our position to Bangladesh government on NRC that this is an internal matter of India. All these reports which cannot be verified is difficult to comment upon. CAA and NRC has nothing to do with each other. NRC is mandated and monitored by the SC and also most of the countries have accepted that this is an internal matter of India."

READ: MEA welcomes preliminary results of Afghanistan presidential polls

Bangladesh says NRC "internal affair"

Earlier, the chief of Bangladesh Border guards had said that the process of creation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is completely an "internal affair" of the Indian government. He had added that the cooperation between the border guarding forces of the two countries is very good.

The BGB will continue to work to prevent illegal crossings into India, its Director General Maj Gen Shafeenul Islam had said at a press conference on Sunday. A BGB delegation, led by Islam, was on a bilateral visit to India to hold DG-level border talks with their counterparts. "This is completely an internal affair of the Indian government," he said when asked to comment on the NRC issue.

READ: NPR, NRC against poor, minorities: Akhilesh

When asked about the provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that seeks to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslims from three countries including Bangladesh, the DG had said he would not like to make any comments. "I would say that the cooperation and relationship between the two forces (BSF and BGB) is very good," the BGB chief said when asked to comment on the developments in India post the passing of the CAA in Parliament.

READ: NRC an internal affair of Indian govt: Border Guards Bangladesh chief

Anti-CAA protest

After the Parliament passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill on December 11, nationwide protest began opposing the Act. It took a massive turn after Delhi Police allegedly used brutal force against the Jamia Millia Islamia students protesting the Act on December 15. As the nationwide anger grew on the issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that those protesting should read the Act. He also claimed that there had been no discussion on a nationwide NRC, despite Home Minister Amit Shah stating at several occasion that the government is committed towards a pan-India NRC. 

Meanwhile, after the Act was passed, Section 144 was imposed in Assam, Tripura, and parts of Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, there has been an internet shutdown in some areas. Videos of protest going violent and Police brutality has also emerged in from various places. The Opposition has called for several rallies and strikes demanding a roll-back of the Act. While 21 people have reportedly died in Uttar Pradesh, 2 in Mangalore and 4 in Assam, Police have detained several others. The protest still continues even as the BJP government has decided for an outreach program from January 1 to January 15 to spread awareness about the amended Act.

READ: Kerala Assembly passes CM Vijayan's anti-CAA resolution, DMK's Stalin hails step