Foreign journalists can visit Assam after taking permission, clarifies home ministry amid rumours of restrictions

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued a statement on Twitter stating that foreign journalists, whether already based in India or not, can visit Assam after taking its permission.

Any foreign journalist,whether already based in India or not, can visit Assam after taking permission of MEA

MHA is consulted internally by MEA before issuing this permission. There is no PAP or RAP area in the state of Assam. Thus no PAP or RAP is needed by a foreign journalist

— PIB - Ministry of Home Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) September 4, 2019

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) will consult with the MHA before issuing a permit, according to an official release. The clarification comes after Assam Tribunal published an article which claimed that all foreign journalists working in Assam have been asked to leave the state as Assam had been placed under the protected area category following the controversy generated by the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The final list of the NRC was released by the government on 31 August at all NRC Seva Kendra (NSK) across the state. According to the Assam government, 19,06,657 people have been left out of the final list of NRC. All legal options, including the right to appeal in highest courts of India, is open to these people. The government has vowed to provide them with legal assistance to fight their case.