To provide aid to Hindus and other minorities in Pakistan and two other countries, the Indian Union Home Ministry released a gazette notification. According to this notification, the fee for registering as Indian Citizens has been drastically reduced from Rs.15,000 to Rs.100.
The communities include Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis, not only in Pakistan but Afghanistan and Bangladesh. The registration also includes those in India on long term visa. Apart from these three countries, all other minorities in different countries will have to pay Rs.10,000 for registration in India and Rs.15,000 in their respective countries.
This decision has been taken after making various amendments to Citizenship Rules 2009 Act. The new Amendments state that the minorities can take oath as Indian Citizen in front of Collector and in the case of absence, Sub-divisional magistrate, deputy commissioner or district magistrate.
The request for this change has been on petitions by many minorities for a long time. Hindu Singh Sodhia, Chairman of the Seemat Lok Sangathan, said that “We had been demanding for delegating the citizenship powers of the district collectors and reduction in the application fee to just Rs100 per application for these poor people since long. We are delighted that after series of meetings, our demand was honored by the home ministry.”
This move is a huge relief to the minorities in different countries. Minorities can now register and minimal fee and be a part of Secular India.
