BENGALURU: Karnataka could well be the second state after Assam to launch the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in an effort to identify illegal immigrants with home minister Basavaraj Bommai announcing on Thursday that he has already addressed top police officers on the need to launch such a drive to list vagrants and to keep a watch on them.
He told the media here: "There is very big talk going on regarding implementation of NRC across India.
Karnataka is one of the states, where across the border people are coming and settling down. There are lots of issues involved here. Therefore, we are collecting all the information. We will discuss with Union home minister and then go ahead (with NRC). We will take a clear decision (on NRC) this week." Local police officers have been told to submit a detailed report on illegal settlers, most of whom have criminal cases registered against them, he added.
In the past, many BJP leaders have voiced their concern about growing number of Bangladeshi people migrating to Bengaluru, and acquiring documents such as photo identity cards or ration cards, to secure jobs in local companies or work as maids in homes of the well-heeled.
Mr Bommai's announcement also assumes significance in the wake of Mr Amit Shah's call for a nation-wide exercise for identification of illegal immigrants who could later be deported through legal process as part of the strategy to enhance national security. He, however, clarified that Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist refugees would be accorded Indian citizenship beforehand with the passage of the Citizenship (Amendmen)Bill.
