Bengali Hindu migrants demand citizenship

Spl Correspondent

NEW DELHI, Sept 19 - Days after the Centre announced major waivers for Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals belonging to minority communities there, the displaced Hindu Bengalis of Assam have reiterated the demand for Indian citizenship. The All Assam Bengali Youth Students� Federation today staged a demonstration at the Jantar Mantar here, demanding grant of citizenship to all Hindu Bengalis. The Federation demanded the release of all Bengali Hindus from detention camps before the ensuing Durga Puja festival. The agitating students also demanded restoration of voters� franchise of all Hindu Bengalis marked as �D� voters. They also demanded withdrawal of all cases against Bengali Hindus pending in the Foreigners� Tribunals. On September 7, the Union Home Ministry announced that the Central Government has decided, on humanitarian considerations, to exempt Bangladeshi and Pakistani nationals belonging to minority communities there, who have entered India on or before December, 31 2014 from the relevant provisions of the rules and order made under the Passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 and the Foreigners Act, 1946, in respect of their entry and stay in India without such documents or after the expiry of those documents, as the case may be. However, the agitators said they are not satisfied with the concessions announced by the BJP-led NDA Government, but want citizenship for the displaced Bengali Hindus living in India.