Huge Cheer For Persecuted Hindu Refugees As Modi Cabinet Clears Citizenship Amendment Bill

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday (4 December) gave its nod to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 that seeks to provide Indian nationality to Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists fleeing persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, reported IANS.

The bill, amends the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make migrants in select categories eligible for citizenship. It has been opposed vehemently by opposition parties like Congress, Trinamool, DMK, Samajwadi Party, RJD and the Left and even regional parties like BJD have expressed reservations.

As per reports, the Narendra Modi led central government has made this bill one of its key priorities. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has been quoted as saying that, “Minorities in the neighbouring theocratic countries have been subjected to continuous persecutions, which forced them to seek asylum in India”.

He has contended that extending this citizenship would affirm the spirit of Sarva Dharma Sambhav.

With Inputs From IANS