Shiv Sena may take different stand on Citizenship Bill in RS if queries remain unanswered: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said that his party will support the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Rajya Sabha only if the Centre answers all the questions raised by his party chief.

"We have to clear our doubts on this bill, if we do not get satisfactory answers then our stand could be different from what we took in Lok Sabha," Raut told reporters here.

"Vote bank politics should not be played, it is not correct. Do not attempt to create a Hindu-Muslim divide again. Also, there is nothing in this bill for the Tamil Hindus of Sri Lanka," Raut added.

The Shiv Sena leader further said that while they had supported the bill in the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha would be different as his party MPs could play a pivotal role.

"Irrespective of our stand in the Lok Sabha, here in the Rajya Sabha the support of Shiv Sena MPs will be very crucial. We will see what happens during the debate and then decide our stand," Raut said.

A day after the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday said that the Shiv Sena will not support the proposed legislation unless the party's queries in the Rajya Sabha were addressed.

"We will not give support to the Bill unless things are clear. If any citizen is afraid of this Bill than one must clear their doubts. They are our citizens so one must answer their questions too," Thackeray, who is also the Shiv Sena chief, told reporters here.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 which seeks to give citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zorastrian communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha today.

After heated discussions spanning seven hours, the Bill was passed with a majority of 311 votes against 80 in the Lower House on Monday.