Foundation for two-nation theory was laid by Savarkar, not Congress: Manish Tewari

Congress leader Manish Tewari on Monday opposed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, in the Lok Sabha and said that it is against Article 14, Article 15, Article 21, Article 25 and Article 26 of the Constitution of India.

Tewari further stated that the foundation for two-nation theory was laid in Ahmedabad by Veer Savarkar in a Hindu Mahasabha session in 1935 and not the Congress.

"This is against Article 14, Article 15, Article 21, Article 25 and Article 26 of the Indian Constitution. This bill is unconstitutional and against basic right of equality," Tewari said.

"Today Home Minister said that Congress is responsible for partition on the basis of religion. I want to make it clear that the foundation for two-nation theory was laid in 1935 in Ahmedabad by Savarkar in a Hindu Mahasabha session, and not Congress," he added.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

Through this Bill, Indian citizenship will be provided to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from the three countries to India till December 31, 2014, to put an end to them being treated as illegal immigrants in the country.