India is a Hindu Rashtra, says BJP MP Ravi Kishan

BJP MP Ravi Kishan on Wednesday said that India is a 'Hindu Rashtra' since the community accounts for about 100 crore of the country's total population.

"The population of Hindus is 100 crore. So obviously India is a Hindu Rashtra. There are so many Muslim and Christian countries. It is amazing that we have a country called 'Bharat' to keep alive our culture," the lawmaker told ANI.

"If there can be Muslim and Cristian countries, why can't be a Hindu country," he asked while adding the opposition parties have gone mad over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

In a related development, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai earlier today told the Parliament that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will not be conducted on religious lines.

Home Minister Amit Shah has said that a nationwide NRC will be introduced after bringing in the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

Earlier today, the Union Cabinet approved the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which intends to grant citizenship to non-Muslims from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, who were subjected to religious persecution in their countries.