CAB unconstitutional, divisive: Oppn in RS
NEWDELHI: Opposition parties led by the Congress in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday described the Citizenship Amendment Bill as unconstitutional, alleging it discriminates against refugees on the basis of religion, and cautioned the government that the proposed legislation would not stand judicial scrutiny.
Initiating the debate on the Bill, Congress leader Anand Sharma attacked the BJP saying the manifesto of any political party cannot be above the Constitution of India.
The ruling BJP has claimed that it had won “mandate” on the basis of its manifesto which clearly talked about the amendments to the citizenship law.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which has already been approved by Lok Sabha, proposes to give citizenship to Hindus, Christians, Parsis, Jains, Budhists and Sikhs facing religion persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Opposing the Bill, Sharma said the proposed legislation moved by home minister Amit Shah is “divisive”, “discriminatory” and against the fundamentals of the Indian Constitution.
Congress leader P Chidambaram termed the Bill as “a slap on the face of Parliament”. “...Knowing this is unconstitutional, I am afraid this government is ramming through this Bill in order to advance its Hindutva agenda,” he said.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said the dynamics in the Rajya Sabha were different from that of the Lok Sabha and asserted that the government will have to answer their queries on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, before they can expect support from their party. “Lok Sabha numbers are different, the situation in the Rajya Sabha is different. The government has to reply to our queries. Votebank politics is not right...” Raut said.
Trinamool MP Derek O’brien too termed the Bill as unconstitutional, and warned of people’s movement against the Bill. He also said it would be challenged in the Supreme Court.
Samajwadi Party MP Javed Ali Khan said through the proposed legislation, the BJP was fulfilling the dream of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan.