Journalists in India's capital who cover the foreign affairs ‘beat’ received a long e-mail from foreign affairs spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar, explaining in detail, the background of the National Register of Citizens, NRC, and the position of the Indian government.
The statement tries to explain that the process was carried out at the order of the top court and was not an executive order of the government. It also claims that a person excluded from the list will not be stateless.
The question is when the Indian government is claiming the NRC to be an internal matter, why is the foreign ministry issuing such a long statement?
In reality, the issue is not internal as the NRC imbroglio has created concern in the neighbouring country and the main aim of the statement is to allay a sense of worry in Bangladesh.
Delhi’s message to Dhaka: “there is no reason to believe that the sky has fallen over the head.”
Reader of political science at Delhi University, Ujjwal Kumar Singh, says: “the whole statement does not sound convincing; it mentions, in detail, the issues about the appeal but never says that the people will not be pushed into Bangladesh.”
Senior fellow of leading Indian think tank, Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), New Delhi, Dr Pushpita Das, says: “around 1.9 million people have been excluded and so many people cannot be pushed into Bangladesh, and India is not Myanmar to oppress the people so they are forced to enter another country to seek safety.”
“These people may be made into second class citizens without voting rights, ration cards or the right to government employment.”
Those with roots in Bangladesh may want to go back, which is a different issue.
In South Asia, India is currently enjoying cordial relations with Bangladesh and the economic plus strategic links are improving; therefore, most political observers feel that India won’t jeopardize ‘entente cordiale’ with Bangladesh by forcing so many people on her.
Historian and researcher Mridula Mukherjee, adds: “The aim of NRC is political; BJP is trying to show that it’s making an effort to identify her own citizens and ensure the safety of the nation.”
Most political analysts feel that India will not force so many people into Bangladesh.
