Indians gather in Tokyo to 'educate people' on CAA, NRC and NPR

A group of Indians on Friday gathered outside the Indian Embassy here to make people aware over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) as protests over the provisions continue back in the country.

The gathering, which took place in front of the statue of Justice Radha Binod Pal, Yasukuni Shrine near the premises of Indian Embassy in Tokyo, was "to clearly understand the objectives and due procedures" of the above provisions, said an official statement.

Such issues are being "misused by some anti-social elements to spread rumours and run negative propaganda" that has also lead to "violent protests" in some parts of India last week, it read.

The CAA, 2019, promises Indian citizenship to every non-Muslim refugee of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan, who arrived in India on or before December 31, 2014. The legislation was passed by the Parliament earlier this month and became an Act with Presidential assent on December 12.

Keeping the above in mind, some Indians here did a thorough study in recently enacted CAA, its historical background as well some research on authenticating details of NRC and NPR.

The NPR is a list of "usual residents" who have resided in a local area in India for the past six months or more or a person who intends to reside in that area for the next six months or more.

NRC, which was rolled out in Assam, seeks to identify illegal immigrants in India.

During the demonstrations, a few Japanese and some active members of the Bangladeshi Hindu community in Japan also showed their support in principle to the fact that such deprived minorities should be served justice and allowed to maintain their Indian identity.