CAB has nothing to do with secularism, didn't find anything wrong: JD(U)

Janata Dal (United) did not find anything wrong in the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, hence, supported it in Lok Sabha, party MP Kaushalendra Kumar on Tuesday said, asserting that the bill did not interfere into the lives of the Indian Muslims.

Speaking to ANI, the MP said, "We supported the bill as we found out that it had nothing to do with secularism. This bill is for the Hindu, Parsi, Sikh and other refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have come to our country seeking refuge. It has nothing to do with the Indian Muslims."

He, however, refused to comment on why JDU's vice-president Prashant Kishor had criticised the party's stand on the bill and said, "I do not know what his (Kishor) understanding of the bill is and what is his take on it."

Earlier yesterday, Kishor had expressed disappointment over Nitish Kumar-led party supporting the CAB in Lok Sabha.

"Disappointed to see JDU supporting CAB that discriminates right of citizenship on the basis of religion. It's incongruous with the party's constitution that carries the word secular thrice on the very first page and the leadership that is supposedly guided by Gandhian ideals," Kishor tweeted on Monday.

JDU, a BJP ally in Centre and Bihar, was among those parties which supported the passage of CAB in the Lower House of Parliament.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha attacked the JDU for supporting the CAB in Lok Sabha and said that it will lead to the "Israelisation of the country".

"It is saddening that Nitish Kumar is supporting the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill which is an attempt for the Israelisation of the country. They are trying to convert an ocean, which is India, into a small pond," he told ANI here.

"Today a condolence meeting would have been held in heaven in which Nehruji, Gandhiji, Patelji and others would have sat in silence while (Mohammad Ali) Jinnah would have come and taunted Gandhiji by saying that let alone Pakistan, India has now become parallel to Israel," Jha said, further criticising the CAB.

Lok Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill with a majority of 311 votes against 80 votes in the Lower House where 391 members were present and voted.

The bill, according to sources, is likely to be introduced in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.