Thread by @sandhyaravishan

A #thread on #CAA and #NRC . Bear with me coz this is likely to be long. Let's look at the 4 different items on the table here - #CAA, #NRC, #NPR and #Census.

#CAA is an amendment to allow fast tracking of citizenship to 6 persecuted minorities in 3 countries.

#NPR is a register of the residents of the country. This is a list of people who have lived in a place for at least 6 months.

#NRC or #NRIC is created from the #NPR using a process by which you have to show citizenship.

#Census is an enumeration of all people living in the country with various details.

Now the #NRC in Assam was conducted due to a court ruling. In Assam and the North East, there is a problem of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants coming through porous borders. So it was conducted.

As per the #NRC conducted in Assam, residents had to show proof that they (if over 48 years of age at the time) or their ancestors (if younger than 48 years of age at the time) i.e. mothers, fathers, grandparents etc were citizens of India before midnight of 24 March 1971.

Why was this date chosen? This is the date that Pak carried out Operation Searchlight, a planned genocide of the Bengalis of East Pak who wanted to become an independent country. 10 million refugees flooded into India post this date as violence was unleashed.

These refugees should have become Indian citizens through the available process. It is entirely upto the Indian state whether it gives or denies citizenship. It is the right of every sovereign nation, not just India.

So now what happens if #NRC is prepared for all of India?

#Assam was a different case due to its demographics. Even IF the same process was carried out pan India, we basically have to prove that our parents/grandparents/we were living in and citizens of India before midnight of 24 March 1971.

What documents are accepted?

As per the #NRC Assam site:
(1) 1951 NRC OR
(2) Electoral Roll(s) up to 24th March 1971 (midnight) OR
(3) Land & Tenancy Records OR
(4) Citizenship Certificate OR
(5) Permanent Residential Certificate OR
(6) Refugee Registration Certificate OR
(7) Passport OR
(8) LIC OR

(9) Any Govt. issued License/Certificate OR
(10) Govt. Service/ Employment Certificate OR
(11) Bank/Post Office Accounts OR
(12) Birth Certificate OR
(13) Board/University Educational Certificate OR
(14) Court Records/Processes.

If you, like me, are younger than 48 years of age, you will have to show your parents'/grandparents' proof of residence/citizenship along with a document to show your relationship with them. For this, you have to submit one of an additional list of document that shows this.

(1) Birth Certificate OR
(2) Land document OR
(3) Board/University Certificate OR
(4) Bank/LIC/Post Office records OR
(5) Circle Officer/GP Secretary Certificate in case of married women OR
(6) Electoral Roll OR
(7) Ration Card OR
(8) Any other legally acceptable document

Now come the problems.
1. A large number of our parents/grandparents simply do not have any documents - many don't know their DOB and don't have birth certificates etc. They will face problems.

2. The exercise depends on how good/bad state machinery is. In Assam it was chaos.

3. There are likely to be spelling errors in your name or differences in DOB or age etc in various documents which we have not bothered to correct.

4. All local govt offices will MINT money in corruption to get your documents corrected/verified.

The questions now:

1. What is the benefit of NPR/NRC versus Aadhar and Census? Govt has to explain. It sounds like duplication to me.

2. If they are going to issue national identity cards, how is it different from Aadhar?

3. If there are issues with Aadhar duplication or fake Aadhar, fix the issues instead of starting a new process all over again.

4. Why indulge in this exercise when there is the economy to worry about and a war looming between Iran and US?

The govt needs to learn to take people along. Protests have gone on for far too long and way too many people are getting injured and losing lives. A mature govt listens to its people and engages in discussion. We are not here to blindly take whatever you throw our way.

The lack of communication between the govt and the people has resulted in severe fear psychosis among certain sections. It is completely unnecessary to have created that and allow it to fester. Govt needs to communicate, take people along. If it doesn't, it is arrogance.

Finally I would like to add that at the time the NPR/NRC was brought in in 2004, it was not seen as dangerous. It is the reflection of this govt's track record that it is now seen as dangerous. Plus a lot of misinformation & fear mongering done by their opponents.