UP: Scores of people gather at Hapur Municipal Corporation to receive birth certificates

Amid the row over Citizenship Amendment Act, scores of people gathered at the Hapur Municipal Corporation office here on Wednesday to receive their birth certificates.

"I have come here to get the birth certificates of my children. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that all the documents should be there so I am just preparing for that," a local told ANI.

"I am 42-year-old and I have come here to take my birth certificate. I am getting it because of this citizenship issue going on in the country," said another local.

The Executive Officer of the Hapur Municipal Corporation, JK Anand told ANI that the rush has increased from the past one week.

"We are issuing birth certificates but we are facing some difficulties too. People are coming asking for birth certificates with 1948 or 52 birth year, such backdated statistics are not easy to find. Though we are doing our best as we can," he added.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Citizenship of India may be proved by giving any document relating to the date of birth or place of birth or both.

The Parliament gave the nod to the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019, and it became an Act after getting assent from President Ram Nath Kovind.

The Act grants Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India on or before 31, 2014.