Parliament HIGHLIGHTS: Cong to hold nationwide protest over CAB tomorrow

Opposition says Citizenship Amendment Bill violates the Constitution, but the government's strength in Lok Sabha ensures

11:19 PM

Congress to hold nationwide protest over CAB on Wednesday

The Congress will hold a nationwide protest on Wednesday against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) which was passed by Lok Sabha on Monday.

 

A letter from party's General Secretary KC Venugopal to state Congress Committee leader said, "We need to enlighten the public at large on our stand and mobilize support in favour of the decision. I request you to undertake Dharna Pradarshan tomorrow against the bill in the state headquarters."

10:29 PM

Academicians, ex-babus, authors, scientists seek withdrawal of Citizenship Bill

Several academicians, former bureaucrats and judges, writers, artistes and scientists have expressed outrage over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill calling it "divisive" and violative of the Constitution and asked the government to withdraw it.

 

In separate letters and petitions, they asserted that the proposed legislation threatens the federal framework provided by the Constitution and will fundamentally alter the character of the Indian republic if it comes into force.

10:27 PM

Citizenship Bill: Cong slams govt, says it is attack on Constitution and idea of India

The Congress on Tuesday slammed the government over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill with several leaders, including former party chief Rahul Gandhi, describing the proposed legislation as antithetical to the Constitution and the idea of India.

Anyone who supports it is attempting to destroy the foundation of the country, Gandhi said on Twitter a day after the bill was passed by Lok Sabha with 311 members favouring it and 80 voting against it. The bill will now be tabled in Rajya Sabha for its nod on Wednesday.

He termed the bill an "attack on the Indian Constitution".

5:37 PM

Cong welcomes Shiv Sena's decision to reconsider support for citizenship bill

The Congress on Tuesday said it welcomed the Shiv Sena's decision to reconsider supporting the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Rajya Sabha after voting for it in Lok Sabha. Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said he won't back the bill in Rajya Sabha till there is clarity on questions raised by his party in Lok Sabha.

4:54 PM

Politics behind govt's decision to introduce Citizenship (Amendment) Bill: Pilot

Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot on Tuesday alleged that politics is behind the government's decision to introduce the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. He claimed that the bill is an attempt to divert people's attention from issues like unemployment and slow economic growth.

4:40 PM

Pak says Citizenship Bill reflects India's 'malafide intent' to interfere in neighbouring countries

Pakistan on Tuesday said India's "regressive and discriminatory" Citizenship (Amendment) Bill reflects its "malafide intent" to interfere in the affairs of neighbouring countries based on religion, with Prime Minister Imran Khan describing the proposed legislation as a "design of expansionism".

3:56 PM

Guided by biases, no locus standi: MEA on USCIRF's Citizenship Bill remark

Asserting that a US federal commission's critical comments on the Citizenship Amendment Bill are not accurate, India on Tuesday said the American body on international religious freedom has chosen to be guided only by its biases on a matter on which it has no locus standi.

 

In a statement issued on Monday, the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) alleged that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill enshrines a pathway to citizenship for immigrants that specifically excludes Muslims, setting a legal criterion for citizenship based on religion.

3:41 PM

Assam: Students continue to protest on the streets of Guwahati against CAB

3:30 PM

CAB cleaves JD(U): Two top leaders voice discontent over party's stand

The JD(U), BJP's ally in Bihar, looked divided on the issue of the contentious citizenship bill, with general secretary Pavan Varma invoking Mahatma Gandhi to call the legislation "unconstitutional", a day after the party backed it in the Lok Sabha.

 

Varma's comments came a day after JD(U) national vice-president Prashant Kishor voiced disappointment over his party supporting the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in the Lok Sabha, underlining that the legislation discriminates against people "on the basis of religion".

2:55 PM

Shiv Sena won't support Citizenship Bill in Rajya Sabha: Uddhav Thackeray

2:16 PM

India rejects US commission's statement on Citizenship Amendment Bill

US Commission on International Religious Freedom's statement on Citizenship Amendment Bill neither accurate nor warranted, says India's External Affairs Ministry. The Commission has sought American sanctions against Home Minister Amit Shah if the Bill is passed by Parliament.

1:43 PM

Civil society protests

Opposition political parties, students' unions and civil society groups held demonstrations in New Delhi to protest the Citizenship Amendment Bill The Northeast Students' Union and Communist Party of India (Marxist) gathered at Jantar Mantar. " This law is against our Constitution. This law will be passed in Parliament, despite opposition. For the first time, religion has become the base for citizenship," Prakash Karat of the CPI(M) said, according to PTI.

12:04 PM

Jammu and Kashmir leaders will released at appropriate time: Amit Shah

Political leaders detained in Jammu and Kashmir after Article 370 was repealed will released by local administration at appropriate time. There will be no Central government interference: Amit Shah tells Lok Sabha.

11:50 AM

Rajya Sabha takes up Bill on Wednesday

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is confident that the Citizenship Amendment Bill will pass through Rajya Sabha when its introduced on Wednesday, PTI reported quoting unnamed sources. The BJP itself doesn’t have a majority and will depend on its allies and other parties.

11:18 AM

Himachal CM backs Bill

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur supports the Citizen Amendment Bill. "Rising above the differences, the Modi government takes all sections along with it. The latest example of this is the Citizen Amendment Bill 2019.  Devbhoomi Himachal congratulates the Centre and all the honourable members of Parliament," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

9:52 AM

Chidambaram protests Bill

Congress leader P Chidambaram says the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill as "patently unconstitutional" and the battle to counter will shift to the Supreme Court. "That is the price we pay for giving a party a brute majority that it uses to trample over the wishes of the states and the people," said Chidambaram on Twitter.

9:33 AM

US commission seeks sanctions against Amit Shah

America should put Home Minister Amit Shah under sanctions if the Citizenship Amendment Bill is passed by the Indian Parliament, a federal US commission has said. The US Commission for International Religious Freedom said that it was deeply troubled over the passage of the bill in Lok Sabha.

 

9:23 AM

Amit Shah defends Bill

"This Bill is not unconstitutional and not in violation of Article 14 and has nothing to do with Muslims in India," said Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha but he made it clear that Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar will not be given Indian citizenship. Article 14 of the Indian Constitution guarantees citizens equality before the law.

9:20 AM

Indian citizenship on basis of religion

The Citizenship Amendment Bill was originally introduced in 2016 during the Narendra Modi government's first term but lapsed after protests and an alliance partner's withdrawal. It proposes to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims who came to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan before 2015.

 

9:16 AM

Shutdown in Northeast India

Students organisations have teamed for a 11-hour shutdown in Northeast India to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Shops, businesses, educational and financial institutions remained shut and public transport stayed off the roads during protests in the region on Monday. Many in the region oppose the Bill because of fears that tens of thousands of settlers from neighbouring Bangladesh would gain citizenship.