To provide succour to minorities belonging to neighbouring countries, the government is planning to amend the Citizenship Act to grant Indian nationality to those who face persecution in their homeland within six years of their arrival in India.
As per the present law, a foreigner can obtain Indian citizenship by naturalisation only after 12 years of his or her arrival in India.
The proposed move will allow Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists and Christians from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to take Indian nationality within six years of their arrival in India, official sources said.
Ever since the NDA government came to power at the Centre, it has offered several special benefits to the minorities belonging to the neighbouring countries who have been living as refugees in India.
Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians staying on long term visa (LTV) in India have already been allowed to submit an affidavit in place of a renunciation certificate, granted LTV for five years instead of two years and facilities for education and employment.
In order to provide them fair opportunities for a more comfortable living and hassle-free movement and pursuit of economic activities in India, the government has extend additional facilities to this class of LTV holders.
The additional facilities include permission to open bank account, permission for purchase of property for self occupation and suitable accommodation for carrying out self-employment, permission to take self-employment, issuance of driving licence, PAN card and Aadhaar number.
Allowing free movement within the state/UT where they are staying, transfer of LTV papers from one state to other, reduction of penalty amount to Rs 100, Rs 200 and Rs 500 instead of existing amount of USD 30, USD 130, USD 230 on non-extension of short-term visa/LTV.
The refugees are also allowed to apply for LTV from the place of present residence when the applicants have changed place without permission.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the Lok Sabha poll campaigning in 2014, had made a distinction between Hindu and Muslim refugees from Bangladesh, arguing that the former should be accommodated.
"We have a responsibility towards Hindus who are harassed and suffer in other countries. India is the only place for them. We will have to accommodate them here," he had said.
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