No discrimination in NRC process, assures Rajnath
New Delhi, Aug 3: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday assured that there would be no discrimination or unnecessary harassment in the entire updation process of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and said it was being carried out in a fair and transparent manner.
Responding to a Short Duration Discussion over the issue in the Rajya Sabha which saw disruptions and adjournments of the proceedings in the last few days, the Minister said that the government was committed to complete the procedure in a time bound manner.
"I am reiterating that it is not the final NRC. It is just a draft NRC. Adequate opportunity will be provided to everyone for the claims and objections. Despite it, if anybody's name remains out of the list, he can approach the Foreigners Tribunal," Rajnath Singh said.
He also assured that there would be no coercive action against anybody.
The Minister said that the NRC updation exercise was being carried out in a totally fair, transparent, non discriminatory and legal manner.
"The entire process is being carried out under the supervision of the Supreme Court. It is also monitoring the exercise on a routine basis,. Nobody will be harassed. There has been no discrimination and there would be no discrimination," he said ridiculing the allegations levelled by some opposition parties.
He said that the draft NRC has been published in accordance with the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985 when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister.
The decision to update it was taken by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2005.
The Minister also hit out at some political parties, saying they are trying to create an atmosphere of fear among the people.
"It is unfortunate that some persons with vested interest are running a propaganda on social media so that the issue can be internationalised and communal harmony be affected," he said.
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Rupee slips 1 paisa to close at fresh all-time low of 84.39 against US dollar
Mumbai (PTI): The rupee fell 1 paisa to a new lifetime low of 84.39 (provisional) against the US dollar on Tuesday as persistent foreign fund outflows and a strengthening greenback against major crosses overseas dented investor sentiments.
Forex traders said the rupee is likely to trade between 83.80 and 84.50 in the medium term, with the Reserve Bank of India likely limiting any significant downside, aided by its robust foreign exchange reserves.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 84.39 against the US dollar. During the session, the local currency touched a high of 84.39 and a low of 84.41. It finally settled at 84.40 (provisional), a decline of just 1 paisa against the US currency, registering a loss for the fifth straight session.
On Monday, the rupee dropped 1 paisa to hit a new lifetime low of 84.38 against the US dollar.
In the last five sessions, the local unit has lost 32 paise against the greenback.
"The rupee traded weaker as foreign funds continued their selling spree in the Indian market. However, the rupee received some relief from falling crude and gold prices, as the reduced pace of decline could potentially improve India's import bill in the coming months," said Jateen Trivedi, VP Research Analyst - Commodity and Currency, LKP Securities.
Despite this, the dollar index's continued strength above 105 is expected to maintain pressure on the rupee, limiting any significant recovery in the near term.
"With resistance near the 84.25-84.30 zone and support is seen lower at 84.55. This week's focus will be on the US CPI data release, which could influence the dollar's trajectory. Additionally, US Fed Chairperson Jerome Powell's upcoming speech is expected to provide insights that may drive price action in the dollar, currently trading at a four-month high of 105.75," Trivedi said.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.06 per cent higher at 105.60.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, rose 0.60 per cent to USD 72.26 per barrel in futures trade.
In the domestic equity market, the 30-share BSE Sensex fell 820.97 points, or 1.03 per cent, to close at 78,675.18 points, while Nifty fell 257.85 points, or 1.07 per cent, to settle at 23,883.45 points.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net sellers in the capital markets on Monday, as they offloaded shares worth Rs 2,306.88 crore, according to exchange data.
Meanwhile, an SBI research report on Monday said that the rupee may depreciate 8-10 per cent against the US dollar during the Trump 2.0 regime.
The report, titled US Presidential Election 2024: How Trump 2.0 Impacts India’s and Global Economy, emphasised that the rupee can have a brief spell of depreciation against the US dollar, followed by appreciation.
