Not inclusive

Citizenship Bill does not align with the idea of India

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which seeks to grant Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Christians and Buddhists in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who come to India to escape “religious persecution” in those countries. The Bill has also dialled down the period of residency for any such person (even if they do not have any document) seeking Indian citizenship, from 12 years to six years. The introduction of a religious criterion in the process of granting citizenship has led to leaving out Muslims, the second-largest religious group in the Indian sub-continent.

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