The Rajya Sabha cleared the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on Wednesday, with 125 voting for it and 105 against. The bill was passed in upper house, two days after its passage in the Lok Sabha.
The Lok Sabha had cleared the bill on Monday with 334 MPs supporting the bill and 106 against it.
The controversial bill has been opposed by activists and intellectuals for being discriminatory of Muslim migrants. The opposition said that the bill violates Article 14 of the Constitution.
The contentious bill seeks to provide citizenship to Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, and Parsi refugees fleeing religious persecution from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
After the bill was cleared in Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to congratulated all the MPs who voted in favor of the bill. He called the day as “Landmark day for India”.
A landmark day for India and our nation’s ethos of compassion and brotherhood!
Glad that the #CAB2019 has been passed in the #RajyaSabha. Gratitude to all the MPs who voted in favour of the Bill.
This Bill will alleviate the suffering of many who faced persecution for years.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 11, 2019
Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi in a statement described it as a “dark day” in the constitutional history of the country and said passage of the Bill marks the victory of “narrow minded and bigoted forces” over India’s pluralism.
Statement by Congress President Smt. Sonia Gandhi on the unconstitutional Citizenship Amendment Bill. #CABseBharatBachao pic.twitter.com/RS4OxrYsgg
— Congress (@INCIndia) December 11, 2019
Also Read: Explained: How New Citizenship Bill Will Pave Way For ‘Hindutva Version Of Pakistan’ In India
