The contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill on Wednesday got the green signal from the Union government to be tabled in the Lok Sabha for clearance. It is envisaged the parliament will begin the discussion on Citizenship Amendment Bill next week to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955. As expected, parliament would see some fiery scenes as the opposition is continuously opposing this controversial bill for a long time.
Shah’s talk with groups in NE
Before giving the final approval on the Citizenship Bill, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held discussions with various outfits of political parties, students’ bodies and civil society groups of the North-eastern states. Shah proposed this bill in front of them and listened to their views then he announced the implementation of the Bill.
Opposition sets to trigger gun
The purpose behind the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is to grant Indian citizenship to all non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they face any religious atrocities in these countries. Therefore, the opposition has got an opportunity to fire with all cylinder over leaving out Muslims on the ground of faith to get sympathy from a religion as the Indian constitution doesn’t differentiate citizens based on their religion, caste and creed.
Rajnath asks MPs to attend Parliament
Seeing the significance of the bill Union Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asked the BJP MPs to attend parliament in large numbers when Home Minister Amit Shah tables the Citizenship Bill in Parliament. Rajnath Singh said that the three neighbouring countries were essentially Islamic nations and so it is non-Muslims and not Muslims who are at the receiving end of religious persecution there.
Shah looks to drive infiltrators by 2024
Union Home Minister Amit Shah before giving his nod to the Citizenship Bill announced a deadline for the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) across the country. He once again repeated that Union government is adamant to expel all the infiltrators before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he said this while addressing a rally in West Singhbhum in Jharkhand ahead of the assembly polls. It seems this Bill is the planning in advance by the ruling party before the next general elections to get the sympathy of the people.
Fiery session is on card
Several leaders from the opposition parties – Congress, Trinamool Congress, DMK, Samajwadi Party, RJD, Left, and BJD are set to oppose this Bill in parliament. Some of the regional parties like Akali Dal and JD(U) are standing in the support of the government. Meanwhile, AIADMK is taking every step cautiously and it will clarify its stand regarding the Bill later.
AGP takes U-turn
The BJP’s NDA partner in Assam, Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has taken a U-turn on the proposed Citizenship Bill and is likely to be with the government after getting the assurance from the BJP that some changes have been made in the Bill.
BJP may face a hurdle in RS
At the outset, it looks the ruling party has no problem in passing the Bill in the Lok Sabha because of its overwhelming majority in the lower house. But when the bill will be submitted in Rajya Sabha (RS) then the ruling party will need the support of allies like JD(U) and Akali Dal for getting the clearance from the Upper House.
Tharoor opposes Bill
Speaking on the government’s decision to clear the Citizenship Amendment Bill, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said, “I am opposed to the Bill. It is fundamentally against the tenets of democracy. I speak for myself. We cannot discriminate on the basis of religion”.
If the Citizenship Bill is passed, then what would be its result? The BJP is in a hurry to pass this contentious Bill to get political mileage. After the debacle in Haryana and Maharashtra assembly polls, the party is looking to divert the mindset of the people to smother the talk of economic slowdown, the rise of prices of essential commodities, unemployment issues, the condition of farmers and so on. Overall, people are now growing discontented with the Central government, so the top leaders of the BJP could see this as a potential diversion or addressing one of the popular sentiments of the people.
