'Fundamentally Unconstitutional': Congress Opposes Cabinet's Citizenship Amendment Bill

The Bill, which amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants in select categories eligible for citizenship, has been attacked by the Opposition, minority outfits and others for leaving out the Muslims and also on the ground that it is at odds with the Constitution.

"I think the bill is fundamentally unconstitutional because the basic idea of India has been violated in the bill," Shashi Tharoor said. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Reacting to Union Cabinet's nod to the much controversial Citizen (Amendment) Bill 2019, Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor on Wednesday said it undermines the fundamental tenets of the Constitution. Earlier in the day, the Union Cabinet cleared the bill that seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they faced religious persecution there. "I think the bill is fundamentally unconstitutional because the basic idea of India has been violated in the bill. Those who believe that religion should determine nationhood... that was the idea of Pakistan, they created Pakistan," Tharoor said while speaking to reporters outside the Parliament. "We have always argued that our idea of nation was what Mahatma Gandhi, Nehruji, Maluana Azad, Dr Ambedkar have said, that religion cannot determine nationhood," he said further. The Congress leader also said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 undermines this fundamental tenet of the Constitution. "Ours is a country for everybody and everybody, irrespective of religion, has equal rights in this country, and the Constitution that they wrote reflected that," he said. Responding to questions, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said the Citizenship Amendment Bill takes care of India's interests. "I am confident that when the Bill's provisions are announced, Assam, Northeast and the entire country will welcome it," he said.

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Javadekar also informed that the bill will be introduced in Parliament in a day or two. He said the Bill will be discussed in detail once it is introduced. Javadekar said provisions of the bill are in the national interest and as per natural justice provisions. The Bill, which amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants in select categories eligible for citizenship, has been attacked by the Opposition, minority outfits and others for leaving out the 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. Earlier in the day, the Union Cabinet has also cleared the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, 2019 for care of the elderly, who constitute 10 per cent of the population. The Cabinet also extended the reservations in representations for SC/ST for 10 years from 2020 to 2030. Javadekar said this is an important step for empowerment and social justice.