Citizenship cannot be determined by or linked to religion, Bill unconstitutional: CPI(M)

The CPI(M) on Wednesday opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, saying it was "unacceptable and unconstitutional" as citizenship cannot be determined by or linked to religion.

Earlier in the day, the Union Cabinet cleared the Bill that seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan if they faced religious persecution there, sources said.

"It is simple. Citizenship cannot be determined by or linked to religion. This is what makes the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) unacceptable and unconstitutional. The CAB is aimed at destroying the basis of India.

"India's citizens are its citizens, irrespective of what faith they follow or don't, what they eat, what work they do, their caste, creed, place of residence, gender or colour of skin. No to Citizenship Amendment Bill," CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury tweeted.