Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
India braces for protests over citizenship bill excluding Muslims [View all]
Source: Agence France-Presse
India braces for protests over citizenship bill excluding Muslims
Agence France-Presse
Tue 10 Dec 2019 00.38 GMT
India’s lower house has passed controversial legislationthat will grant citizenship to religious minorities from neighbouring countries, but not Muslims, amid raucous scenes in parliament and protests in the country’s north-east.
The citizenship amendment bill provides that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians fleeing persecution in Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan can be granted citizenship.
It comfortably passed the lower house with 311 votes in favour and 80 against just after midnight on Tuesday. The legislation seeks to amend the Citizenship Act of 1955, which prohibits illegal migrants from applying for Indian citizenship.
“This bill is in line with India’s centuries-old ethos of assimilation and belief in humanitarian values,” the prime minister, Narendra Modi, tweeted, adding that he was “delighted” about its passage.
But to Muslim organisations, rights groups and others the bill is part of Modi’s push to marginalise India’s Islamic minority of 200 million people.
-snip-
Agence France-Presse
Tue 10 Dec 2019 00.38 GMT
India’s lower house has passed controversial legislationthat will grant citizenship to religious minorities from neighbouring countries, but not Muslims, amid raucous scenes in parliament and protests in the country’s north-east.
The citizenship amendment bill provides that Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians fleeing persecution in Muslim-majority Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan can be granted citizenship.
It comfortably passed the lower house with 311 votes in favour and 80 against just after midnight on Tuesday. The legislation seeks to amend the Citizenship Act of 1955, which prohibits illegal migrants from applying for Indian citizenship.
“This bill is in line with India’s centuries-old ethos of assimilation and belief in humanitarian values,” the prime minister, Narendra Modi, tweeted, adding that he was “delighted” about its passage.
But to Muslim organisations, rights groups and others the bill is part of Modi’s push to marginalise India’s Islamic minority of 200 million people.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/10/india-braces-for-protests-over-citizenship-bill-excluding-muslims
17 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read