Citizenship Act amended to distract people from country's economic slowdown: Kamal Nath

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Friday accused the Union government of practising "politics of distractions" and said the Citizenship Act was amended to divert people's attention from the country's economic slowdown.

Addressing newspersons at the Indian Women's Press Club, Nath said he was most worried about the future of Indian youths, given the present economic condition of the country.

"The worst part is the politics of distraction, changing the orbit of people's imagination. Every time there is an economic slowdown, a bill is introduced, a decision is taken to distract people," the Madhya Pradesh chief minister said.

"The stand of the Congress in any law that divides society will be the stand of the MP govt, said Kamal Nath when asked if like West Bengal and Kerala, the Madhya Pradesh government too would reject the CAB.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, two days after Lok Sabha passed it on Monday. President Ram Nath Kovind gave his assent to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on Thursday, turning into an Act.

According to the Act, the people of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who come to India till December 31, 2014 from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 owing to their religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants and be given Indian citizenship.

The Act says the non-Muslim refugees will be given Indian citizenship after their stay in India for five years, instead of earlier requirement of 11 years.

The Act also proposes to give immunity to such refugees facing cases as illegal immigrants.

According to the legislation, it will not be applicable to the tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura as included in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and in the areas covered under the Inner Line Permit, notified under the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.