SAD hails Citizenship Bill, but wants Muslims also covered

The Shiromani Akali Dal on Sunday hailed the NDA government's decision to introduce the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament, saying a long-pending demand of the party has been accepted.

The party, however, said the Bill should cover all persecuted people irrespective of their religion.

It said keeping in view the country's socialistic, secular and democratic credentials as well as humanitarian principles, Muslims should not be excluded from the Bill on the basis of religion.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting of the party's core committee which was presided over SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal at Badal village in Muktsar, a release said here.

The party appreciated the Bill and said, "The NDA government has fulfilled the demand of the SAD as well as all minorities, including Sikhs, Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians, who had fled religious persecution in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and taken refuge in India."