The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday evening passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) 2019 with 125 votes in favour of the Bill and 105 against it. Union Home Minister Amit Shah introduced the Bill in the House at noon amid strong protests by opposition and several groups in North East and other parts of the country.
The Bill that seeks to give Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zorastrian communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh was passed with a thumping majority in Lok Sabha on Monday night (December 9) after six hours of intense debate. In Lok Sabha, the Bill was passed with 311 MPs voting in its favour and 80 against.
Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday slammed the BJP, accusing the party of trying to divide the country on religion lines. Azad, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said: “There are about 13 like-minded parties in the Rajya Sabha… I have met them and they will all vote against CAB Bill.” Azad remarked that the BJP-led government at the Centre was least bothered about addressing concerns around the economy and issue of price rise and is only trying to divide the nation.