Linking Citizenship Act with NRC most unfortunate: Niti Aayog vice-chairman

Niti Aayog vice-chairman Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday termed the linking of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) with the NRC (National Register of Citizens) as the 'most unfortunate' which is aimed at creating fear among the people.

The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) seeks to provide citizenship on preferential basis to members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have entered India till December 31, 2014 following religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

"It is most unfortunate that there has been a conscious & organised effort by some to connect the #CAA with #NRC at a future date. This has been done to create fear & vulnerability among the people. This is eminently avoidable. #CitizenshipAmendmentAct #CitizenshipAmendmentBill," Kumar said in a tweet.

At a public meeting in Jharkhand during an election rally on December 2, Home Minister Amit Shah had said he has set a 2024 deadline for implementing the NRC across the country, asserting that "each and every" infiltrator will be identified and expelled before the next general election.

The controversial citizenship law has sparked protests in several cities across India with protestors demanding withdrawal of the law.