Union Cabinet Gives Nod To Citizenship Amendment Bill; May Be Tabled In Parliament In Next 2 Days

A bill to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, is likely to be introduced in the Parliament in the next two days, sources have said.

Image: PTI/ File

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday cleared the Citizenship Amendment Bill in a crucial meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Bill seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they faced religious persecution there. A bill to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, is likely to be introduced in the Parliament in the next two days, sources have said. The bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India even if they do not possess any document. The Bill has been attacked by the opposition, minority outfits and others for leaving out Muslims and also on the ground that it is at odds with the Constitution, which does not differentiate between citizens on the basis of their faith. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has asked party MPs to be present in large numbers when Home Minister Amit Shah tables it in Parliament. At BJP’s parliamentary party meet earlier on Tuesday , Singh rejected the opposition's criticism of the Citizenship Bill and asserted that the BJP has always worked to unite the country and its people. Also watch: Union Home Minister Amit Shah's meeting with several politicians and activists of Northeast states including the chief minister of Mizoram to discuss the bill also concluded in the wee hour of Wednesday, following which Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that a lot of confusion has been eliminated. Sources said Singh also made a reference to the charge that the bill was against secularism as its beneficiaries excluded Muslims. He said the three neighbouring countries were essentially Islamic nations and so it is non-Muslims and not Muslims who are at the receiving end of religious persecution there. BJP MPs must be present in Parliament in large numbers when Shah tables the bill, which is likely to be cleared by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday, Singh said. Asking the party MPs to ensure their presence in Parliament as it is going to take up key bills in the coming days, he said the prime minister had time and again spoken against absenteeism among the parliamentarians but the issue persists. (inputs from PTI)