Cong leaders file petition in SC against amended Citizenship

Senior Congress leaders of Assam filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the amended Citizenship Act on Saturday, a party spokesperson said here.

Former Union Minister P Chidambaram will also file another petition on the same matter on behalf of former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the spokesperson told PTI.

In their petition, leader of Opposition in Assam Assembly Debabrata Saikia, Barpeta MP Abdul Khaleque and Mariani MLA Rupjyoti Kurmi highlighted the "blatant attempt to nullify the sanctity of Assam Accord, alleged contradictions in the Act with the provisions of Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India".

They also said about the subjectivity related to the perception of persecuted minorities as stated in the new act.

The petition claimed that the Act is an attempt to impose an ethos which is in violation of the composite culture and age-old liberal values of the Assamese society.

The exclusion of minorities from the ambit of this Act is an attempt by the ruling party to manipulate their majority in Parliament for political gains, it said.

The petition comes at the backdrop of the unrest in Assam following the introduction and subsequent passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in both Houses of Parliament.