Union Home Minister Amit Shah tabled the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill), 2019 in the Lower House of the Parliament on December 9. The introduction of the CAB bill created a huge ruckus in the Lok Sabha.
Speaking on the bill, Amit Shah said that the CAB bill does not carry any political agenda behind it. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill), 2019 bill seeks to declare Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for citizenship who came to India before December 31, 2014. Although the Bill only carries the provision of citizenship for the non-muslim population that arrived from the neighboring nations.
Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha: There is no political agenda behind this bill. No question of injustice with anyone. #CitizenshipAmendmentBill2019 pic.twitter.com/ORDLFPmhvz
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2019
The bill was vehemently opposed by many opposition parties. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor likened the ruling government to Jinnah. As quoted by ANI, he said, “Jinnah’s idea of Pakistan prevailed in the creation of Pakistan and our idea of India prevailed in our constitution, which gives everybody equal rights. But the problem is, this government thinks like Jinnah. They think Pakistan is a country for Muslims and we should be a country for Hindus.”
Asaduddin Owaisi even went to the next step by tearing down the copy of the bill. The leader further said the bill is aimed towards dividing the nation.
Owaisi tears copy of CAB in Parliament, says it tries to divide India
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/D1ZQVFL30x pic.twitter.com/tMsSRw0nM7
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) December 9, 2019
Samajwadi Party leader and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav accused the saffron party of hiding its failures behind the CAB bill. As quoted by ANI, he said, “They claimed that demonetization and GST will boost the economy. What is the condition today? The income of farmers has also not doubled. The law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh is also in poor condition. BJP is bringing this Bill to hide their failures.”
Commenting on the bill, Nationalist Congress Party leader Supriya Sule opposed to the speech of Home Minister and urged the latter to reconsider his decision on the bill.
Supriya Sule, NCP on #CitizenshipAmendmentBill2019 in Lok Sabha: Entire ethos of our democracy is equality and talking about Article 14&15, I am not convinced by Home Minister, it will be struck down in Supreme Court. I request him to rethink of it and please withdraw the bill. pic.twitter.com/Z8POt0vk2y
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2019
Telangana Rashtra Samithi leader Nama Nagasewara Rao also informed the House that his party too opposes the bill. He further said that his party is committed to the ethos of secularism and constitutionalism.
Nama Nageswara Rao, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) in Lok Sabha: We oppose #CitizenshipAmendmentBill2019, in line with our secular party policy. We strictly follow the provisions & spirit of Indian Constitution. pic.twitter.com/7vGudIRRxQ
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2019
Bahujan Samaj Party leader Afzal Ansari also said that the CAB bill is unconstitutional.
Afzal Ansari, BSP in Lok Sabha: The National President of BSP, Mayawati ji had earlier only stated that #CitizenshipAmendmentBill is unconstitutional & opposed it. Today as well, we stand here against the bill. pic.twitter.com/4P9NNvZ6BW
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2019
However, Janata Dal-United leader Rajiv Ranjan Singh extended his party’s support to the bill. He said that the bill is right in its approach as it is dedicated to grant the citizenship status to the persecuted minorities of Pakistan.
Rajiv Ranjan Singh,JDU in Lok Sabha: We support this bill. This bill should not been seen in light of Indian citizens,both majority and minority. If persecuted minorities of Pakistan are given Indian citizenship then I think this is the right thing. #CitizenshipAmendmentBill pic.twitter.com/U4nF6Q2mp7
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2019
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee brought the ideals of Swami Vivekananda’s principles and said that the bill is against the idea of India.
Abhishek Banerjee,TMC in Lok Sabha: Swami Vivekananda would be shell shocked if was here seeing this bill as it is against his idea of India. BJP's idea of India is divisive. It will be disastrous if we ignore words of Mahatma Gandhi and not heed advice of Sardar Patel. pic.twitter.com/TpCGnocrNu
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2019
Congress party leader Manish Tewari gave a detailed explanation of his opposition to the bill. He said that the bill is violative of the Constitutional provisions such as Article 14, 15, 21, 25 and 26.
Manish Tewari,Congress in Lok Sabha: This is against article 14, article 15, article 21, article 25 and 26 of the Indian constitution. This bill is unconstitutional and against basic right of equality #CitizenshipAmendmentBill2019 pic.twitter.com/JICl0zH0l8
— ANI (@ANI) December 9, 2019
Previously, the Congress party had called a meeting of its senior leaders in the national capital to discuss the CAB issue.
It has also been reported that Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal requested the BJP workers to remove the apprehensions of the people regarding the bill from the people’s minds.
I urge our @BJP4India karyakartas to stay vigilant and check the spread of misinformation. Let us all engage in discussions and deliberations with the public to remove any doubts regarding the #CitizenshipAmendmentBill. pic.twitter.com/VDJEJnMGHY
— Sarbananda Sonowal (Modi Ka Parivar) (@sarbanandsonwal) December 9, 2019