Long-term visa to foreigners substitute for Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR, July 19: With the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, stuck in Parliament, the government recently cleared the proposal for granting long-term visa (LTV) to minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh seeking refuge in India. The Home Ministry has liberalized norms for visa and residential permits for other nationals from Afghanistan. As per report, the State concerned has to grant the LTV within 21 days to the foreigners coming from the mentioned countries owing to religious persecution, or the State must show cause to the Centre.

Regarding the issue, the Lakhimpur district unit of Manab Adhikar Sangram Samiti (MASS) expressed strong reaction alleging that this move on the part of the Union government for granting LTV was planned as the substitute for the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016. “The foreigners having LTV will avail the services of PAN card, driving licence and bank account. In addition, they will attain the right of living anywhere in India by purchasing land and any other properties,” stated Raju Singha in a press release. He termed this move of the Union Government as an anti-nationalist decision. He called upon all the parties, organizations and the people to oppose the Union Government’s decision of granting LTV to the foreigners for the greater interest of the country.