Elsewhere in India, protesters say the citizenship law will be followed by the national register, which they fear is designed by the government to expel Muslims who do not have sufficient citizenship documentation. Under the law, India will grant citizenship to the six communities that Modi's government says have historically faced persecution in the three Muslim-dominated neighbours. Authorities in Assam began using the NRC to identify illegal immigrants in 2015, on the orders of the Supreme Court. In Assam, excluded people were given 120 days to prove their citizenship at quasi-judicial bodies known as Foreigners Tribunals. The Supreme Court has said it would hear petitions challenging the law on Jan. 22.

Source: Mint December 29, 2019 08:37 UTC