· India rejected a proposal by the U.K. to use DNA sampling to establish the nationality of illegal migrants living in UK citing privacy issues.
· A Memorandum of Understanding for the return of illegal migrants has been initialed between India and UK. It has yet not been finalized.
· As per the original MoU, security agencies in India were to verify the antecedents of illegal migrants without documents in the U.K. within 72 days and those with documents within 15 days.
· If no report was given within the stipulated time frame, the illegal migrant would be deported automatically.
· The agreement was put on indefinite hold after National Security Adviser Ajit Doval conveyed that the 15-day limit was unworkable.
· The U.K. authorities has suggested that the nationality of document-less illegal migrants suspected to be Indians can be established by matching DNA samples of their family members living there.
· India has raised objections that this is a breach of privacy and unethical because India would not be able to detect whether the document-less person is an Indian or not.
· According to the British government’s estimates, there are around 1,00,000 Indians overstaying their visa in the U.K.
· India has contested this and has said that as per their estimate, the number will not be more than 2,000.
· The British Prime Minster has assured a consideration of better Visa deals if the agreement of return comes into existence.
Source : The Hindu