No reports of any untoward incident so far: UP DGP Prashant Kumar on CAA implementation

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh Police made comprehensive preparations, sensitised its field officers and kept in touch with religious leaders ahead of the notification of rules of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, Director General of Police Prashant Kumar said on Tuesday.

In a video message, Kumar said no reports of any untoward incident have been received so far in the state since the Centre implemented the rules on Monday.

"Regarding the CAA, a possibility was expressed that the government would implement it soon. We had made comprehensive preparations for it in advance. Our field officers were sensitised... and they were in touch with stakeholders such as religious leaders, peace-committee members, digital volunteers and people from civil defence," he said.

"I will once again make it clear that under the CAA, no one's citizenship will be taken away. It is a levelling provision under which citizenship will be given and it will be given to those who came from neighbouring countries on being harassed for religious reasons. Their number is very low," Kumar said.

He added that all religious leaders have given positive statements over this and police are maintaining a vigil.

"As far as law and order is concerned, we are using 179 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary and 100 companies of CAPF, which we have got for the elections. So far, no reports of untoward incidents have been received from anywhere (in the state). I am fully confident that our teams in the field will not allow law and order to deteriorate in the coming days," the DGP said.

Kumar added that strict vigil is being maintained over sensitive places identified by the police and places where problems had occurred earlier.

He also said that if anyone tried to create any disturbance or spread rumours, strict action would be initiated against that person.

The Centre on Monday implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, notifying the rules four years after the law was passed by Parliament to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who came to India before December 31, 2014.

With the unveiling of the rules, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians -- from the three countries. The rules come into force with immediate effect.