CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said the National Population Register and NRC should be seen in the light of the CAA and alleged these measures are being brought with the sole motive to trouble minorities, Dalits, and tribals in their own country. He chaired a meeting of AIMIM leaders in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city in Maharashtra before attending an Iftar party.

Notably, the rules for implementation of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) were notified on March 11, paving the way for granting of citizenship to undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The CAA aims to grant Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who came to India till December 31, 2014. These include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians.

Speaking to reporters, Owaisi said, “The CAA has to be seen along with the National Register of Citizens and NPR. A minister of BJP has already said that NRC and NPR will be implemented in the country”. The Hyderabad MP claimed the NRC was implemented in Assam where names of nearly 19 lakh people found no mention.

“The Assam chief minister says Hindus will be given citizenship through CAA. But 1.5 lakh people from minority communities will have to contest cases. Only 5 per cent of people in India are passport holders. This is being done to trouble minorities, SCs, and STs in their own country,” he said. Owaisi clarified that he was not against persecuted Hindus and Sikhs getting citizenship in India.

“But what about Sri Lankan Tamils and Tibetans?” he asked. Owaisi said the government should clarify whether people immigrating to India after the CAA cut-off date of 2014 will be prosecuted. “Will they be granted reservation?” The NRC was first prepared in Assam to weed out illegal migrants. The AIMIM has renominated Aurangabad (now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar) MP Imtiaz Jaleel for the Lok Sabha elections.