All countries, Indian missions across globe informed about Centre's perspective on CAA, NRC: MEA

India has reached out to all countries across the globe and written to its missions to share its perspective on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday, refuting reports that some embassies were not engaged on the matter.

"We did reach out to countries across all geographical regions. We did write to our missions to share our perspective on CAA and NRC with the host government," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told reporters at a weekly briefing when asked on reports that some countries were not apprised on the matter.

"Yes, there were such reports. But the reports are factually incorrect," the spokesperson added.

Kumar said that the engagement undergoes a certain internal process.

"Firstly, this matter is entirely internal to India so we ask them (Indian missions abroad) to convey the government there that the act provides expedited consideration for Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities already in India from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh," he said.

"We also convey to them that it does not affect other communities from seeking citizenship. It does not seek to strip anybody of Indian citizenship, practising any faith. Neither do they alter the basic structures of the Constitution," the spokesperson continued.

These are the points, Kumar said, are conveyed to the consulate generals and ambassadors settled abroad and are asked to reach out not only to the governments but also to the media there as well.

"After we realised that a lot of explaining was involved, we adopted a two-pronged setting for the process," he further said.

Protests have erupted in several parts of the country over the CAA which grants citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, Buddhist, and Christian refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.