No detention centres under CAA, NRC, MHA informs RS

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday said there is no provision of detention centres under the Citizenship Act 1955 and the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRC). In a written reply, Minister of State for Home Affairs  Nityanand Rai said, "Detention centres are set up by state governments and Union Territory [UT] administrations as per their local requirements to detain illegal immigrants and foreigners, some of whom may have completed their sentence and their deportation to their native place is pending for want of travel documents."

In reply to another question in the Rajya Sabha, the home ministry said the government has not taken any decision to prepare the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRC) at the national level.Nityanand Rai further said the Supreme Court had directed that foreign nationals who had completed their sentence shall be released from jail immediately and be kept in an appropriate place with restricted movement pending the deportation/repatriation. MHA said the number of detention centres set up by state governments and UTs are not centrally maintained. The Home Ministry said the CAA has "nothing to do" with the NRC. The CAA is relevant for six communities -- Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian -- who have come to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan only on account of persecution based on their religion. The Act also states that it is for those who have arrived in India prior to December 31, 2014. 

Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy has said that the Centre does not direct any state government to make arrests or frame charges under the Sedition Act.Replying to a supplementary question in Rajya Sabha ,Reddy informed that since Law & Order is a state subject, the responsibility for maintaining it and initiating investigation, framing charges and prosecution of crimes rests with them. He reiterated the government's commitment towards supporting healthy criticism, freedom of press and upholding democratic values.