‘No dual citizenship for those with criminal past’

The UPA Government today assured the Lok Sabha that people with criminal backgrounds would be kept out of the dual citizenship pact to be si...

The UPA Government today assured the Lok Sabha that people with criminal backgrounds would be kept out of the dual citizenship pact to be signed with various countries.

Before the House passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, earlier adopted by the Rajya Sabha, Minister of STate for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal said: ‘‘Arrangements have been made to see that people with criminal background and suspicious character are not given this facility.’’ Jaiswal piloted the bill which, but for the Nanavati Commission report on the anti-Sikh riots and its aftermath, was to have been handled by Jagdish Tytler as Minister for NRI Affairs.

Responding to clarifications sought by members, Jaiswal said that India had no intention to go in for dual citizenship pacts with Pakistan and Bangladesh. Dual citizenship would imply the grant of ‘‘life visa’’ to a person, giving him the right to stay as long as he wished in India, he said. Asked if Indians in the Gulf would get voting rights, Jaiswal said those whose names had been knocked off the rolls could take it up with authorities.

‘Why make hijack policy public?’

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NDA leaders have questioned the Government’s decision to make public the anti-hijacking policy outside Parliament when both Houses were in session. ‘‘It is a question of propriety and privilege,’’ said BJP’s V K Malhotra after a meeting of NDA leaders today.

Listen to Yashpal panel: Centre directs NCERT

The Centre had directed the NCERT to take into account recommendations of the Yash Pal Committee while re-formulating the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2005, Minister of State for HRD M A A Fatmi told the Lok Sabha today.

‘‘When finalised, the NCFSE will further address the problem of curriculum load on children and save them from mental and physical load,’’ he said.

New steps had also been undertaken by the CBSE on conducting examinations, which would be implemented from next year, he said.