Did PM Modi Lie About NRC, Detention Centres In His Speech At Ramlila?

As the protests against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA) continue across the country, 23 people have so far lost their lives. Clashes between the police and protesters, the imposition of section 144 in various cities and destruction of public properties have left the nation in turmoils.

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a huge gathering at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on Sunday, December 23, ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, it paved the perfect opportunity for PM Modi to put people’s fears to rest.

In his speech, the PM left no stones unturned to shift the blame to ‘Urban Naxals’ and the Opposition for spreading ‘rumours and misinformation.’ Furthermore, he made certain claims that were contradictory to statements by his BJP counterparts.

The Logical Indian team fact-checked some of his statements on CAA and NRC.

Claims

‘There Are No Detention Centres In India’

“Koi desh ke musalmano ko na detention centre main bheja ja raha hai, na Hindustan main koi detention centre hai (No Indian Muslims are being sent to detention centres, and neither are there any detention centres in this country),” said Modi.

He also accused Urban Naxals and the Congress of spreading rumours regarding detention centres in the country.

I request the youth of the country to read the Act in detail and not to fall prey to the rumors of detention-centers being spread by Urban Naxals and Congress.

It's a lie and is dividing the nation: PM Modi #DilliChaleModiKeSaath

— BJP (@BJP4India) December 22, 2019

‘No Nation-wide NRC’

In his speech, PM Modi said that there has been no discussion on NRC since BJP came to power in 2014 and that it only followed the Supreme Court directive to implement it in Assam.

The 130 crore Indians have no connection to the CAB. A lot of lies are being spread about NRC as well.

It was made during the Congress regime. Where were the protesters then? We did not make it, nor did we bring it to the Parliament or announce it: PM Modi #DilliChaleModiKeSaath

— BJP (@BJP4India) December 22, 2019

‘Jammu And Kashmir Women Deprived Of Rights If Married Outside The State’

Pointing out the opposition to CAA, PM Modi said, “The very people opposing citizenship rights to refugees had supported in 2004 a move to deprive Jammu and Kashmir’s women of rights if they married someone outside the State.”

आज जो पार्टियां यहां शोर मचा रही हैं, वो 2004 में कहां थीं जब वहां की सरकार ने कहा कि राज्य से बाहर के निवासी से शादी करने पर जम्मू-कश्मीर की बेटियों की वहां की नागरिकता खत्म हो जाएगी।

क्या वो भेदभाव भारत के संविधान की स्पिरिट के अनुसार था: पीएम मोदी #DilliChaleModiKeSaath

— BJP (@BJP4India) December 22, 2019

Fact-Check

While the Prime Minister was firm on his claims that there are no detention centres in the country, reports from across the country say otherwise.

In Assam alone, there are six detention centres, including the country’s largest camp at Matia in Goalpara district, and the government is planning to build ten more in the state. Between 2016 and October 2019, 28 foreigners lodged in these detention centres died. Also, as of November 22, 2019, 988 foreigners were lodged in six detention centres in Assam, said Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai in Rajya Sabha in November.

In July, the government had issued a Model Detention Centre Manual to all State Governments and UT Administrations, asking them to set up at least one detention centre in the state/UT. The same was confirmed in a question raised in Rajya Sabha in July this year.

“With a view to formalise the setting up of detention/holding centres in various States/U.T.s for restricting the movement of illegal immigrants/ foreign nationals awaiting deportation, the Government has prepared a Model Detention Centre Manual and circulated to all State Governments/ U.T. Administrations on 09/01/2019,” said the answer.

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In September, the Maharashtra government had announced that they had identified land in Nerul, Navi Mumbai, to construct the state’s first detention centre for illegal migrants.

New India's 'Concentration Camp' project of Assam has gone National – Maharashtra govt has identified land in Navi Mumbai for state's first detention center for 'illegal immigrants'!https://t.co/0Jn29YDu0z via @mumbaimirror

— Ashok Swain (@ashoswai) September 7, 2019

The Logical Indian also visited South India’s first detention camp at Sondekoppa village, around 30 km from Bengaluru, which is set to begin operations by January 2020.

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The Indian National Congress also called out Modi on his statement and said that a simple ‘Google search’ could refute his claims.

Does PM Modi believe Indians can't do a simple google search to fact check his lies?

Detention Centres are extremely real and will continue to grow as long as this govt is in power. https://t.co/S8caIH6u6J pic.twitter.com/APl4JNfQgc

— Congress (@INCIndia) December 22, 2019

‘Will Implement Nation-wide NRC’: Amit Shah

The PM’s statements that there was no discussion on NRC is in direct contrast to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statements that NRC will be implemented across the country.

In an election meeting in West Bengal on April 11, Shah said, “We have promised in our manifesto that once Narendra Modi forms government once again, we will implement National Register of Citizens in the entire country.”

The same was tweeted by BJP’s official twitter handle, which was later deleted. Shah further repeated the statements at another election meeting on April 22. “We will implement NRC to flush out the infiltrators from our country,” he had said.

First, we will bring Citizenship Amendment Bill and will give citizenship to the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain and Christian refugees, the religious minorities from the neighbouring nations.

Then, we will implement NRC to flush out the infiltrators from our country. pic.twitter.com/w7yeDf5qcn

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) April 22, 2019

In July, Shah had reiterated his statements in Rajya Sabha as well. “The NRC is part of the Assam Accord and was also in (BJP’s) election manifesto based on which the government has come to power. The government will identify illegal immigrants living on every inch of the country’s soil and will deport them as per the international law,” he was quoted in The Wire.

More recently, in an election rally in Jharkhand this December, Shah said that NRC will be rolled out before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Moreover, a country-wide NRC was also part of BJP’s election manifesto for General Elections, 2019.

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Several Opposition leaders and prominent personalities have come forward to criticise the contrasting claims of Modi and Shah.

Today, Modi said there has been no discussion on nation-wide NRC and that lies are being spread to mislead us@PMOIndia who's lying? If @AmitShah is wrong, then it is breach of Parliamentary Privilege & a clear case of misleading the House

Who should we believe? pic.twitter.com/3ElmDcwJHy

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) December 22, 2019

Prime Minister says one thing. Home Minister says something else. But this is all part of the good cop-bad cop routine. Nobody should get fooled!
https://t.co/sfFwDztojd

— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) December 22, 2019

J&K Women Marrying Outside The State Won’t Lose Residency Rights: HC

In a case titled State and others vs Dr Susheela Sawhney and others in October 2002, the court had struck down the previous law which stated that women marrying outside the state would lose their permanent resident status.

“A daughter of a permanent resident marrying a non-permanent resident will not lose the status of a permanent resident of the state of Jammu and Kashmir,” said the court judgement.

The Peoples Democratic Party, which was in a coalition government with Congress in 2004, brought the Jammu and Kashmir Permanent Residents (Disqualification) Bill, 2004, to challenge the SC verdict and was passed in the Lower House. While Modi claimed that Opposition was in support of this Bill, it was partly due to opposition from Congress that the Bill failed to pass in the Upper House.

Conclusion

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claims that there are no detention centres in the country is completely wrong. The government itself had issued a Model Detention Centre Manual to all State Governments and UT Administrations to set up at least one detention centre in the state/UT.

Modi’s statements that there will not be a nation-wide NRC is in direct contrast to statements by Amit Shah, who has time and again said that NRC will be implemented across the country.

Furthermore, the Opposition, in 2004, had not supported a Bill challenging HC’s 2002 verdict that J&K women would lose residency status if married to a non-resident of the state.

If you have any news that you believe needs to be fact-checked, please email us at [email protected]

Also Read: Fact Check: Amit Shah Gets Few Facts Wrong During Citizen Amendment Bill Rebuttal