JOIN USThe Lok Sabha on Monday passed a bill to amend the Citizenship Act, to provide persons of Indian origin (PIOs) with many benefits, including lifelong Indian visa, a promise Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made during his visit to the US and Australia last year.
The amendment bill stipulated merging of PIO and Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) schemes into one. The government had introduced the bill in the Lok Sabha in the previous session of Parliament to replace an ordinance promulgated by President Pranab Mukherjee to provide various benefits to PIOs, including exemption from appearing before the local police station on every visit.
“It will give a status close to Indian citizenship (to PIOs, who will be issued cards under the amended law),” Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju told the House, responding to members who asked whether the bill sought to give dual citizenship to overseas Indians.
He said such people applying for citizenship would now be allowed a 30-day break if they have to leave India for some time, and their absence would not affect their citizenship application.
Participating in the discussion on the amendment bill, many members cutting across party lines demanded that the government also consider giving citizenship to people taking shelter in India after facing persecution in Bangladesh and Pakistan.