Friday, March 29, 2024
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Rajya Sabha passes CAB

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Indian Muslims have nothing to fear: Amit Shah

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, completing the legislative process for giving Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, with Home Minister Amit Shah asserting that Indian Muslims have nothing to fear as they will not be affected by the law.
The Opposition termed the bill, which was passed by Lok Sabha on Monday, as “unconstitutional”, “divisive” and “an assault on the democratic and secular fabric of the nation”.
As many as 125 MPs voted in favour of the Bill in the Upper House and 99 against it, according to Rajya Sabha sources.
BJP’s former ally Shiv Sena, which made all the noises of opposing the bill on grounds that it ignored citizenship for migrants from other neighbouring nations, made a quiet exit from the House just before the voting. (See Page 5)
Besides NDA constituents such as the JD-U, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and AIADMK, the legislation was supported by the BJD, TDP, YSR-Congress and independents. Apart from the three Shiv Sena MPs who were not present during voting, two members each of Samajwadi Party and NCP as also one of TMC were absent.
Earlier Rajya Sabha rejected a motion to send the bill to a select committee of the House with 124 members voting against it as compared to 99 in its favour. The House also rejected several amendments moved by opposition members to the bill, most by voice vote.
The bill will now go to the President for his assent.
This was the second attempt by the Modi government to amend the citizenship law. In January, the legislation was passed in the lower house but lapsed with the 15th Lok Sabha as it was not brought in Rajya Sabha where the Modi government lacked the numbers.
Replying to a six-and-a-half-hour debate on the bill, Shah on Wednesday rejected the Opposition charge that the bill was anti-Muslim. (See Page 5)
To a reference made by Samajwadi Party MP Javed Ali Khan, Shah said India will never become “Muslim-mukt even if you want so.”
On why persecuted minorities from countries such as Sri Lanka were not part of the legislation, Shah said 8-9 lakh Tamils from the island country had been given Indian citizenship in the past and the present law is to tackle a specific problem. To repeated questions from opposition on why Muslims were being left out, he said Muslims from other countries have the right to apply for Indian citizenship as per existing rules. As many as 566 Muslims have been given citizenship in recent years, he said.
Rejecting opposition’s criticism that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill discriminates against Muslims, Shah referred to the Nehru-Liaquat pact to justify the new legislation. Since the Nehru-Liaquat pact of giving minorities freedom to practice their religion was not followed by neighbouring countries, Modi government has to do the needful, he said.
Liaquat Ali Khan was the prime minister of Pakistan when he and Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru signed the agreement in Delhi in 1950 confirming minority rights.
It was inked in the backdrop of large-scale migration of people belonging to minority communities between the two countries in the wake of attacks by majority communities in their respective territories.
Asserting that neither the citizenship bill, nor the previously passed legislation making practice of triple talaq punishable and the scrapping Article 370 are anti-Muslim, he said the bill seeks to correct the wrong done by the partition of the country on religious lines. He hit out at the Congress for alleged double speak on the issue, saying the party had during its rule given Indian citizenship to 13,000 Hindus and Sikhs from Pakistan without raising a word about the same for other communities. He also said the bill does not violate Article 14 of the Constitution as it does not prohibit laws based on reasonable classification.
“There is a specific class. We are taking of all minorities in these three countries,” Shah said. Muslims have not been included for giving citizenship because the proposed law is for persecuted minorities in the three countries, he said. Rebutting the charge that Muslims were living in fear, he said India not only fulfilled its promise of protecting minorities, Muslims have gone on to become President, Vice President and Election Commissioner in the country. “India kept its promise, the three countries did not,” Shah said.
The Home Minister asked the Opposition why religious minorities who have come to India to save their families and the honour of women should not be given citizenship.
He also dismissed the opposition’s claim that the legislation was unconstitutional and against the principle of secularism. Article 14 of the Constitution does not prohibit Parliament from making laws in this regard if there is reasonable classification, he said.
“We have included six religions. There is no appreciation. The only focus is on Muslims. Are Muslims in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan minorities? Isn’t it secularism? Will it be secularism only if Muslims are included,” Shah said.
Shah also quoted a Congress resolution dated November 25, 1947 and a prayer meeting speech of Mahatma Gandhi (September 26, 1947) wherein references were made to Hindus and Sikhs only from Pakistan being given Indian citizenship. “Why did Congress accept religion-based partition,” he asked.
At the time of introduction of the Bill, Shah said the bill provides Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians who illegally migrated to India from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The government, however, does not want to give citizenship to illegal Muslim migrants from other countries.
Describing the proposed legislation as a historic bill, Shah said it will rekindle a new ray of hope among lakhs of people who were harassed in neighbouring countries. “They can now follow their religion with respect, they can protect the dignity of their women,” he said.
The home minister said 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 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.
BJP rejoices
The BJP reacted with joy as Parliament gave nod to the bill, hailing the proposed law as a “historic” legislation that has made the dreams of crores of deprived and victimised people come “true”.
Party president Amit Shah, who as home minister successfully piloted the bill in both Houses of Parliament, tweeted soon after the Rajya Sabha passed the bill, “Grateful to PM Narendra Modi for his resolve to ensure dignity and safety for these affected people. I thank everyone for their support.”
“As the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 passes in the Parliament, the dreams of crores of deprived & victimised people has come true today,” he added. (PTI)

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