Collectors can give citizenship to Pakistan Hindu migrants

Jodhpur : In a major relief to Pakistan Hindu migrants, finally acceding to their demand since long, the Central government delegated the power of citizenship permission to the district magistrates.

In a new development, the Pak citizens eligible for citizenship in three districts, including Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, will have their citizenship permission granted by the district magistrates.

Besides this, the application fee for citizenship has also been decreased to Rs 100 per application, which will enable many those poor migrants, who had been finding it difficult to apply for the citizenship in absence of required money to be paid as fee.

Hindu Singh Sodha, chairman of the Seemant Lok Sangthan, a voluntary organization fighting for the rights of these migrants, said that this decision has come as a huge relief to these people and would expedite the process of citizenship.

“We had been demanding for delegating the citizenship powers to the district magistrates and reduction in the application fee to just Rs. 100 per application for these poor people since long. We are delighted today that after series of meetings, our demand was honoured by the home ministry,” said Sodha.

Besides Rajasthan, the power of citizenship has been delegated to the district collectors in Chhatisgarh, Gujrat, MP, UP, Maharashtra and West & South Delhi also.

In Rajasthan, power of citizenship has been delegated to the district magistrates in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer districts, with Jaipur being the capital of the state and other two districts being dominated by the migrants.

Sodha said that since the power to this effect has been delegated in three district, we would now proceed with drafting a mechanism with the state government so that migrants staying in other district could also be benefited.

These migrants had been pressing upon for three demands which also include reduction in stay period from current seven years to the former five years for these people to be eligible for application of citizenship besides these tow demands.

The decision has come barely a week after the visit of Jodhpur by a Joint Parliamentary Committee comprising 30 MPs from both Lower and Upper houses along with the officials from the state and central home department.

Sodha said that now they have been looking forward to the implementation of the notification, issued long bake, enabling the migrants to open their accounts in the banks, purchasing of property and getting driving licenses etc.

Source : TOI