Amit Shah tables Citizenship Bill amid protests, blames Congress for Partition over religious lines | Highlights
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was tabled in Lok Sabha on Monday amid violent protests in Assam and other northeastern states over the contentious Bill. Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Bill and faced protests from Opposition MPs amid a heated debate.
Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha on Monday amid clashes and protests in different parts of the country, mainly the Northeast. The Bill that seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim immigrants from neighbouring nations, faced stiff protests in the Parliament as Amit Shah tabled it on Monday.
Lok Sabha agreed to introduce the Citizenship Bill with 293 votes in favour and 82 against.
While introducing the Citizenship Bill in Lok Sabha, Amit Shah argued the Bill is not against Muslims or minorities and it does not mention them even a single time. He also asked the Opposition MPs to listen to him and not stage a walkout while he answers all their questions.
The Citizenship Bill, Amit Shah said, seeks to give Indian nationality to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who are facing religious persecution there.
The home minister said laws were framed to give citizenship to people on several occasions in the past, including in 1971 after the creation of Bangladesh and attacks on Indians in Uganda, by using the provision of reasonable classifications.
As Congress and other MPs raised a hue and cry after the tabling of the Citizenship Bill, Amit Shah said, "I will answer all questions on the Bill. Tab tak House se walkout mat karna."
OPPOSITION PROTESTS OVER RELIGIOUS DIVIDE IN BILL
As Amit Shah introduced the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Lok Sabha, the House erupted in protests with AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi comparing the Home Minister to Hitler and being reprimanded by Speaker Om Birla.
Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury slammed the Bill and said, "It nothing but a targeted legislation over minority people of our country", to which Amit Shah hit back and said, "This Bill is not even .001% against minorities in the country".
Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy said, "This bill is divisive and unconstitutional, it violates Article 14 of the Constitution. This law is against everything our founding fathers including Dr Ambedkar envisioned."
Owaisi took the criticism to another level and said, "I appeal to you (Speaker), save country from such a law and save Home Minister also otherwise like in Nuremberg race laws and Israel's citizenship act, Home Minister's name will be featured with Hitler and David Ben-Gurion."
To this the Speaker warned Owaisi and said the comment will be expunged the House records.
AMIT SHAH'S ARGUMENTS
Defending the Citizenship Bill, Amit Shah said, "In Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis and Jains have been discriminated against. So this Bill will give these persecuted people citizenship. Also, the allegation that this Bill will take away rights of Muslims is wrong."
He then went on to hit out at Congress and blamed the party for doing Partition on religious lines. "Why do we need this Bill today? After Independence, if Congress had not done partition on the basis on religion, then today we would have not needed this Bill. Congress did partition on the basis of religion."
He added, "If any Muslim from these three (Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh) nations applies for citizenship according to our law, then we will consider it, but the person won't get benefit of this amendment as the person has not faced religious persecution."
WHAT IS THE CITIZENSHIP BILL
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill seeks to change the six-decade-old Citizenship Act and grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan facing religious persecution in these neighbouring countries.
Members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, till December 31, 2014, facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants but be given Indian citizenship, according to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), 2019.
"In Citizenship Act, in Section 2 in sub-section (i), in clause (b) the following proviso shall be inserted namely:- "provided that any person belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian community from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan, who entered into India on or before the 31st day of December 2014 and who has been exempted by the central government by or under clause (c) of sub-section (2) of section 3 of the passport (Entry into India) Act, 1920 or from the application of the provisions of the Foreigners Act 1946 or any rule or order made thereunder shall not be treated as illegal migrants for the purposes of this Act," the Bill said.
Such refugees will be given Indian citizenship after they have resided in India for five years (six years in CAB 2016), instead of 11 years earlier, it said.
The Bill also proposes to give immunity to such refugees facing legal cases after being found illegal migrants.
(With PTI inputs)