Representative Image. (Pakistani Hindu refugees)The government on Wednesday (22 December) informed the Parliament that over 3,100 people belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Christian minority groups from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Bangladesh were granted Indian citizenship in the last four years.
In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said that the government recieved over 8,200 citizenship applications from Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Christian minorities groups from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan in the last four years.
"Number of citizenship applications received from Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Christian minorities groups from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan during the year 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 is 8,244," the minister said.
"Number of Indian citizenship granted to people belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Christian minorities groups from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan during the year 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 is 3,117," he added.
The minister further informed that all foreign nationals including refuge seekers are governed by the provisions contained in The Foreigners Act, 1946, The Registration of Foreigners Act, 1939, The Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and The Citizenship Act, 1955.
In reply to a separate question in the Upper House, the minister informed that over 4,177 people have been granted Indian citizenship during last five years.
Further, as on 14 December 2021, as many as 10,365 applications for Indian citizenship are pending with the government.
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