New Delhi, Mar 4:
India has granted citizenship to nearly 19,000 people from five neighbouring countries, including 15,036 Bangladeshi nationals, since 2014, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Wednesday. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said those who were granted Indian citizenship belonged to Bangladesh, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. Among the 18,999 people who were granted Indian citizenship, a total of 15,036 were from Bangladesh, he said in a written reply. The highest number of Bangaldeshi nationals — 14,864 people — were granted Indian citizenship in 2015 under the section 7 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 following the signing of the Indo-Bangladesh land boundary agreement. A total of 2,935 Pakistani, 914 Afghan and 113 Sri Lankan citizens and one Myanmar national were granted Indian citizenship from 2014 to 2019, Rai said.
