Citizenship: Foreigner Until Proven Otherwise? ——- Dr Niraja Jayal on NRC, SIR & CAA Are Indians slowly being asked to prove they belong in their own country? Political scientist and citizenship scholar Dr Niraja Jayal delivers a powerful address on how India's founding idea of citizenship — a presumption... that you belong — is being replaced by what she calls a "presumption of alienage": the assumption that a person is a foreigner until proven otherwise. In this speech, Dr Niraja Jayal discusses: The shift from jus soli (citizenship by birth) to conditional citizenship The Citizenship Act amendments of 2003 and 2019 How the NRC, SIR, CAA and the passport controversy connect The burden of proof: state versus individual The Foreigners Act of 1946 and its colonial legacy Citizenship, welfare access and voting rights What a reconstruction of equal citizenship could look like This address was delivered at the Constitutional Conduct Group conclave on 'One Nation-One Election, Federalism and Citizenship' at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, on 4 July 2026. A very worthy read and an absolute eye opener for many who know very little about the vile, vicious and most corrupt processes initiated by the GoI. #Citizenship #CitizenshipProof #SIR #NRC #Reelsshow more

Corruption has replaced the Constitution of India,

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Frightening but real danger of India becoming Yugoslavia 0.2 if Hindu majoritarianism as a state policy of BJP rule is not challenged and reversed by the Opposition and civil society to reassert India's identity as a multi ethnic, multicultural society.

Constitution for the people changing to for the government! Instead of hardwork to identify the aliens, the government has shifted the responsibility to all citizens to prove that they are Indians.

It will be interesting to see how this implementation has a reciprocal impact of ethnic Indians born on foreign soil like the US, Europe,etc. Will the governments of these countries take a cue from the Indian govt & start asking ethnic Indians to prove their citizenship status.

The Full video

@amit_155 Is this for election purpose or for deliberately targeting people? Why fill separate form for a fly? Parents ,children, aged parents staying together one form suffice. If married children then a separate form Cong had sent 88000 illegals without SIR? Bajap only 2400 in 12 yrs

This needs WIDE CIRCULATION

Yes 👍

What for politicians and political parties are registered in the country?? To loot public funds collected through taxes and loans and channel them to private companies to invest abroad and make it personal properties??!!

Also, next step by BJP is, every citizen is accused and must prove their innocence.

Two people holding 150 crores to ramsome ! They , not constitution, will decide who is a voter or not,citizen or not !! We are no more a functioning democracy ! Thanks for posting this excellent presentation !

Most welcome Sir

@tanmoyofc This would not happened if the mess was not created by political parties to get votes and win elections by appeasement

What is happening that folks like you are creating drama for 80% of the time when most of the people are busy in their work. When real time comes they all bring their attention and just chose the right set of people to be in power...then they leave you to keep doing all drama

Very exhaustive treatment of the subject. But will our political and legal systems agree to this? Our courts seem to have abandoned their duty to do justice to common man and illiterate masses. They seem to side the ruling class.

All Politicians,Beaurocrats Who ever asking for irrelevant documents must first Produce/Publish there documents in Public Domain.

What she's saying in sophisticated language is the Caste logic of discrimination, denial of BELONGING, rights. Guilty, dirty, unworthy UNTIL one dies & even in following lives with no possibility to even prove otherwise has always-already been the REALITY for the majority😡

In case of a targeted community, it goes like Bangladeshi until proven otherwise!

Dr. Niraja Jayal raises important constitutional questions about the direction of citizenship policy in India. The burden of proof, equal citizenship, due process, and the relationship between the individual and the State—deserve informed public debate.

Prof. Neerja Gopal Jayal has a rare clarity. She cuts through the noise and exposes constitutional departures with sharp, reasoned arguments. The troubling question is: is anyone listening?

This is what clarity is. The shifts of Citizen-ship identity has and will become a bitter debate over who is & who not. The careful and cunning shifting of identity proof burden on Citizens will corrupt the agencies. It might also well legalise identit-ies!!

Why don't we start proof of citizenship from the top?

No Conditions, No Divisions: Equal Citizenship for All.

Constitution .... of d govt , by d govt and for d govt

All she wishes for could be accomplished only after Modi/BJP unseated. She speaks in English sans logic. Constitutional changes must be explained away in legal terms. That BS of majoritarian state, functional democracy, right to dissent etc might give you a cosy feelings but in the court of law it does come to naught.

You seem to be under the impression that you are the smartest person in India and that everyone else is unaware or incapable of making the right decisions. It is important to look beyond petty politics and think about the future with a broader perspective.

@belifenomind 😃

🔔 ka scholar. Supreme court se jyada jaanti hai?

Then government should produce documents to prove his or her being foreign citizen and must be certified by that country's government also.

Citizenship with given with conditions as no anti national activities, no Pakistan zindabad,sing Vande Mataram and can't keep Quran above constitution as done in most of countries

I was unaware about this study, which university runs this course ? 👇 Political Scientist & Citizenship 😇

Well articulated talk. But her point regarding illegal migrants and refugees as code for muslims and hindus respectively ignores an important distinction. Hindus are a persecuted minority in Pakistan and in Bangladesh too. So the amendments are quite in order.

@sanjayuvacha Citizenship: Foreigner Until Proven Otherwise UAPA: Guilty Until Proven Innocent. Journey fro LAW to WAL.

Will Govt provide help in obtaining citizenship of country where they think I belong to??