SIR: Vijayendra alleges PRCs will benefit illegal immigrants; State says no question of citizenship
Karnataka BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra has criticized the state government's decision to issue Permanent Residence Certificates, alleging it is a strategy to benefit illegal immigrants. The state government has denied these claims, asserting that the certificates are not related to citizenship.
Why it matters
The dispute reflects the highly polarized debate over citizenship, immigration, and state versus federal authority in Indian politics.
Alleging that the Karnataka government’s decision to issue Permanent Residence Certificates (PRCs) during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) was a “devious strategy to protect illegal immigrants and consolidate its vote-bank”, State BJP president B.Y. Vijayendra on Saturday said his party would challenge the move in court and petition the Governor, calling it “illogical” and “unconstitutional”.
Mr. Vijayendra argued that the power and authority to prepare the National Register of Citizens (NRC) or issue PRCs vests with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs after establishing whether a person is a bona fide citizen or not.
Deputy Chief Minister and Revenue Minister G. Parameshwara, however, dismissed the allegation, saying a State government neither has the power to grant citizenship nor can a PRC be equated with one. The Revenue Department is the issuing authority for PRCs.
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