Citizenship (Amendment) Bill passed in Lok Sabha

January 8: Amidst great uproar both inside and outside the Parliament, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The Bill will now be moved in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The winter session has been extended by a day for members in the Upper House.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has introcuded the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 as reported by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Both Trinamool Congress and Congress has walked out of the Lok Sabha over The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. Speaking in support of the Bill, Rajnath Singh said, “I want to clarify that Citizenship Amendment Bill is not for Assam alone, this Bill is also for migrants who have come from the western borders. Assam is dealing with illegal migration for a long time now and Assam’s burden is India’s burden.”

Rajnath assured that the government is committed towards NRC and asserted that there will be no discrimination towards anyone. “All the necessary steps will be taken to deal with illegal migrants,” he added. He said they have an approval for a high-level committee which will hold discussions with all stakeholders before giving recommendations in six months.

The Citizenship Bill intends to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955. It seeks to grant citizenship to people from minority communities – Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they do not possess any proper document. It has been passed at a time when there are protests being held across the north east against the controversial bill. However, now as the Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha, it will be going to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.