The National Register of Citizens (NRC) will be implemented nationwide, said Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, asserting that no person from any religion need to be afraid of it.
"The NRC exercise is monitored by the Supreme Court. No religion has been targeted or isolated during the NRC exercise," said Shah responding to a query of Congress leader Syed Nasir Hussain. The MP asked whether the NRC provides citizenship to immigrants of six non-Muslim faiths.
Shah said NRC and The Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016, which lapsed on June 3, 2019, are two different issues and both should not be seen through one prism.
Shah said people whose names are missing from the NRC can approach tribunals formed at the tehsil level. The Assam government will provide financial help to those who don't have the money to file pleas, he said. Shah said the government would bear the cost of hiring a lawyer.
The updated final NRC, which validates genuine Indian citizens, has left out over 19 lakh applicants in Assam. Most of these are people who have not produced required documents to prove their claims and have the option of appealing to Foreigners' Tribunals and subsequently approach the courts.
In Assam, the NRC aims to identify illegal immigrants who entered the state and settled after March 25, 1971.
Braving the scorching heat, Tripura East records over 80 pc turnout
Despite the scorching heat, over 80 per cent of the 14 lakh voters cast their votes in the Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency where polling was held under a heavy security cover on Friday.
NCPCR initiates action against Mehbooba Mufti for 'using school children for election campaign'
In a significant development, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Friday took cognisance of a report on 'X' accusing PDP President and Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat candidate Mehbooba Mufti of using school children for campaigning in the election.
PM Modi takes opposition to cleaners on EVMs, once again
Calling it a "historic day", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday lauded the Supreme Court's decision to dismiss a batch of petitions seeking mandatory cross-verification of the votes cast in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter-Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) slips.
LS Poll: Over 1000 villagers did not cast vote; shows protest against bad road condition, improper drinking water facility
Over 1000 villagers of Maldapara of Gandacherra subdivision in Dhalai Tripura district on Friday boycotted the second phase of polling to East Tripura constituency and refrained from casting their vote as part of their agitation against bad condition of road in their village.
PM Modi roasts Cong, says former PM's video on 'priority for Muslims' demolishes its canards
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stepped up his offensive on the Congress and said that his plainspeak on the party’s double standards has ruffled many feathers in the INDIA bloc, so much so, that they have launched a tirade at him for speaking the truth.
CBI recovers huge cache of arms, explosives from house of Shahjahan’s relative at Sandeshkhali
The CBI on Friday afternoon conducted a raid at the residence of a relative of suspended Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shahjahan at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas District and seized a huge cache of firearms and explosives.
Tripura records 54.47% turnout recorded till 1 PM in 2nd phase polling to East
The second phase of polling for the East Tripura Parliamentary constituency is underway amid tight security coverage, while 54.47% voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm on Friday. Voting commenced at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm. Tripura recorded the highest turnout at 36.42 per cent till 11 am.
DMs, SPs of violence-hit MP districts transferred
The farmers agitation entered its eighth day on Thursday. The peasants have been on strike since June 1, demanding loan waiver and fair price for their produce.