Citizenship (Amendment) Bill set to become Law
| Date :12-Dec-2019 |
Hitavada Correspondent, Agencies
NEW DELHI :
Indian Muslims are and will remain Indians, says Shah Rajya Sabha passes the Bill with 125 in favour and 105 against
The law provides Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians who illegally migrated from Afghanistan, B’desh and Pakistan
PUTTING all speculations at rest, the Rajya Sabha, on Wednesday, passed the much-discussed and much-opposed Citizenship (Amendment) Bill with a candid vote of 125 in favour and 105 against, giving the Narendra Modi Government further authenticity in pushing a more comprehensive national agenda to fore. This process culminated late Wednesday evening leading the Bill to becoming the Citizenship (Amendment) Law after due presidential assent, cutting across a major parliamentary hurdle that was supplemented by protests in various parts of the country.
The passage of the Bill into Law also indicated that the protests by various intellectual groups did not have any impact on the legislative process. Moving the Bill earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah sought to assuage the concerns of Indian Muslims by saying they have nothing to fear as they are and will remain citizens of India. No one will harass members of the community, the minister stressed as he moved the Bill that provides Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians who illegally migrated to India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
Shah said that the proposed legislation will give persecuted minorities of the three neighbouring nations the right to education, jobs and livelihood. Several MPs of Opposition parties moved motions to send the Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday, to the select committee of the Upper House for detailed consideration before it is passed. The Bill and the Opposition motion will be put to vote after a debate on it. “Muslims have nothing to fear,” Shah said. “Confusion, misinformation is being spread that this Bill is specifically against the Muslim community. For the Muslims of this country, there is no question of debate or concern. They are citizens (of India), will remain citizens and no one will harass them.”
The Government, however, does not want to give citizenship to illegal Muslim migrants from other countries. “Do you want that Muslims who have come from Pakistan should be made citizens? Muslims who have come from Bangladesh should be made citizens? Muslims who have come from Afganistan should be made citizens?. Should we give citizenship to Muslims coming from all over the world? How can we run the country like this?” he asked. Describing the proposed legislation as a historic Bill, Shah said that it will rekindle a new ray of hope among lakhs and crores of people who were harassed in neighbouring countries.
“They can now follow their religion with respect, they can protect the dignity of their women.” The Home Minister said that minorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh are not treated equally and their population has declined by 20 per cent as “they were either killed, or forced to convert or migrated to India”. “They took refuge (in India) but were barred from availing basic facilities like homes, jobs, healthcare and education,” he said. Shah said that the BJP had clearly indicated its intent to bring such legislation in its election manifesto for the 2019 general election and the people of the country voted for it overwhelmingly. “It is not vote bank politics. We told the people before the elections and won the people’s mandate and approval,” he said According to the provisions of the Bill, non-Muslim migrants from the three countries who came to India till 2014 will get Indian citizenship.
“They will not face any legal consequences,” Shah said, adding that cases against them for their illegal stay or for overstaying their legal permit will be withdrawn. The Bill will also regularise livelihood means such as shops of these illegal migrants, he said. Rajya Sabha TV briefly stopped the live telecast of proceedings from the Upper House when Opposition members heckled Shah over his claims of protecting Assamese interests. This was done on Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu’s instructions. “I want to assure all the original residents of Assam that this BJP Government will ensure that all your rights are protected. There should not be even an iota of doubt on this,” Shah said.
Landmark day for India: Modi
NEW DELHI :
Dec 11 (IANS)
PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday described the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in Rajya Sabha as a landmark day for India and said that the Bill will alleviate the suffering of many who faced persecution for years. “A landmark day for India and our nation’s ethos of compassion and brotherhood! Glad that the CAB 2019 has been passed in the Rajya Sabha. Gratitude to all the MPs who voted in favour of the Bill.
This Bill will alleviate the suffering of many who faced persecution for years,” Modi said in a tweet. His remarks came soon after the controversial CAB, 2019 that seeks to give Indian nationality to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan was passed in the Rajya Sabha though it was vehemently opposed by major Opposition parties objecting its nature and describing it “against Muslim community”, which the Government rejected saying it does not affect the community residing in the country. The CAB was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday.