Indian Citizens Expelled, Foreign Migrants Exempted in Unequal State Action
Two contrasting news reports reveal institutional inconsistency in how citizenship rights are identified and protected. A 25-year-old Muslim woman, her husband and child were expelled to Bangladesh from Delhi despite holding multiple documents proving Indian citizenship, while the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) exempted undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh from prosecution under immigration laws if they entered India before Dec. 31, 2024.
Vigilante Policing: War Veteran’s Family Harassed Over Citizenship in Pune
The family of a Kargil war veteran in Pune has alleged that around 80 members of a Hindu nationalist group stormed their house at midnight and demanded proof of their citizenship, accusing them of being illegal immigrants. Allowing such groups to operate in this manner risks normalising harassment and extra-legal intimidation, which undermines the security and dignity of all citizens, not just those being targeted at the moment.
Is Election Commission Turning Voter Verification in Bihar into a Citizenship Test?
Ahead of state elections in Bihar, the Election Commission (EC) has said it will make voters submit proof of their own and their parents’ birth details, including citizenship documents, as part of a special intensive revision of the electoral roll. The move imposes a level of bureaucratic scrutiny that is not only difficult to meet for many citizens, but also raises questions about the intention and timing of such an exercise in a politically sensitive state.
Assam’s NRC Misstep: Court Demands Deportation of ‘Illegal Foreign Nationals’
The Supreme Court has rebuked the Assam government for keeping people it has declared as “foreigners” in indefinite detention and for its slow pace in arranging their deportation. State officials claim they do not know where to send them. It exposes a fundamental problem rooted in the National Register of Citizens (NRC): if individuals are declared foreign solely because their documents are considered insufficient, what happens next?
Republic Day: What’s the Core of a ‘Republic’?
As we, Indians, celebrate Republic Day, it serves as a reminder that our nation is a “republic,” with our Constitution affirming that we, the people, “authorise” the government to govern. Gaining a clear understanding of the essence of a republic can deepen our comprehension of our role in public life.
Study: Dainik Jagran’s Coverage of NRC-CAA Protests, Delhi Violence Biased
Hindi-language daily Dainik Jagran’s coverage of the 2020-2021 protests against the National Register of Citizens and the Citizenship Amendment Act (NRC-CAA), as well as the communal violence in Delhi, was “biased,” according to a study featured in the recently published book, “Inclusiveness in Indian Media Coverage.” The reportage predominantly supported the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) stance, depicting protestors negatively and associating them with violence while allocating minimal space for their perspectives, it suggests.