NRC: Mosques in Karnataka ask Muslims to keep docs ready

Bengaluru, Dec 11: Apparently in anticipation of nation-wide rollout of NRC (National Register of Citizens), mosques in Karnataka have given a call to Muslims to keep their documents up-to-date. Imams and Moulvis have been appealing them to set right their documents if there are any anomalies in them.

The Jamia Masjid in Bengaluru even opened a 'Citizen Centre' three months ago to assist people to keep their documents ready and help in addressing the anomalies, if any. "It is essential for every citizen of India to keep their documents up to date. Keeping that in view, an effort has been made through the Jamia Masjid where we are asking Muslims to properly maintain their records," Maqsood Imran, the Imam of Jamia Masjid in Bengaluru, told media persons on Wednesday.

"We have also set up in the Jamia Masjid 'CitizensCentre' where we are asking people to keep certain documentsready and ensure that they don't bear any mistakes," he added. The Imam said sometimes there are differences in the names in Aadhaar, PAN Card, Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) and other documents. These anomalies should be corrected to avoid any problems in future, he added. Imran, however, claimed that this drive has nothing to do with NRC because, according to him, infiltration is not an issue in South India and hence, there is no need to get scared of or worried about the NRC.

"NRC is not an issue. It will not affect us in any manner. Hukoomat Ke Paas Paise Zyada Hain To Kharch Kare (If the government has money in excess then let them splurge)," the Imam added. Mohammed Shahnaz, resident of Basaveshwaranagar, too confirmed that the mosque in his area has asked the Muslims tokeep all the documents ready and rectify any mistakes in them.

These measures come against the backdrop of Centre making it clear that the NRC will be rolled out across India before 2024 polls. At a public meeting in Jharkhand during an election rally on December two, Home Minister Amit Shah said he has set a 2024 deadline for implementing the NRC across the country, asserting that "each and every" infiltrator will be identified and expelled before the next general election.

Home Minister of the BJP-ruled Karnataka, Basavaraj Bommai too had expressed his views favouring the NRC in the state. Bommai had said that he would discuss the matter with the Union Home Minister.