Mumbai: The American Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is deeply troubled by the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), originally introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah, in the Lok Sabha (lower house of the Indian Parliament) Test of religion.
The CAB will now move to the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of the Indian Parliament). If the CAB is passed in both houses of parliament, the United States government should consider sanctions against the home minister and other key leadership.
The CAB lays out the path of citizenship for migrants who set legal norms for citizenship based on religion, excluding Muslims in particular. “The CAB is a dangerous turn in the wrong direction; It is based on the secular pluralism of India and the rich history of the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law, regardless of faith.”
Also Read: Lok Sabha Passes Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 Bill With 311-80 Votes
In combination with the ongoing National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in Assam and the nationwide NRC, the Home Minister wants to propose, the USCIRF fears that the Indian government is building a religious test for Indian citizenship that snatches away millions of Muslims.
The Lok Sabha first passed the CAB in January 2019, but due to opposition, the government withdrew it before the Rajya Sabha voted. Both houses of parliament must ratify a bill before it becomes law.
Both houses of parliament must ratify a bill before it can become law. The BJP included the passage of the CAB as part of its manifesto released ahead of its overwhelming electoral victory in May 2019.
Also Read: Delighted That Lok Sabha Passed Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019: PM Narendra Modi
The bill was passed with 311 votes in favor, and 80 against the controversial bill. The bill will now be taken to Rajya Sabha for discussion.
The citizenship bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, in order to grant Indian nationality to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians, who come to India due to religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan even if they don’t possess proper documents.
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