No special provision for citizenship to Hindus from Pakistan

Hindus who have migrated to India from Pakistan will have to go through the usual process to get Indian citizenship and no special provisions are being made for this, the government said Wednesday.

Responding to a question in Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said the migrants are being given long term visa.

"The process of getting citizenship in India is long. We are giving the migrants long term visa," Rijiju said.

"For those whose parents are not Indian, they have to live in India for 12 years, and then for two full years they cannot go anywhere abroad. After that one can apply to local administration for citizenship, which will be forwarded to home ministry," he said.

"Everyone will have to go through this process."

Asked if Indian government will take steps to ensure they get compensation for the properties they left in Pakistan, Rijiju said India cannot interfere in it.

"Due to religious prosecution, lot of minorities have migrated to India but Pakistan being a sovereign nation, we cannot guide internal policies of Pakistan," he said.