Friday, March 29, 2024

BJP Govt to make Muslims stateless: Dissent voices against India’s anti-Muslim Citizenship Bill

Amid strong protests from opposition, the Lok Sabha Monday passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill with 311 votes in favour. 80 MPs voted against the Bill.

The bill proposes to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslims who came to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan before 2015.

Here are the some leading voices from opposition:

Citizenship based on religion discriminatory: Congress floor leader

Congress floor leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the argument of persecuted refugees can be made separately in the current laws and not by granting citizenship based on religion.

This Bill is discriminatory since it is based on religious grounds, he said.

The bill will enable a new partition in the country: Asaduddin Owaisi

This law is being made to bring about a new partition, AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi said.

“When the Constitution’s preamble was being made, it was not initiated in the name of God. Look at the difference from then and now. Now we are bringing a law,” he said.

“Don’t include Muslims. But why do you hate Muslims so much? What is our crime?,” Owaisi asked.

“Why are you afraid of China? Why not include minorities oppressed by China?,” he also asks.

AiMIM chief ended his argument by tearing apart the bill, saying it will divide India.

Addressing the Chair, he said: “You know madam how Mahatma Gandhi became Mahatma? He tore the national register card in South Africa. Since Mahatma tore that card, I am tearing this as it tries to divide the country.”

“This law is aimed at a 2nd partition. Its worse than Hitler’s law,” he added.

Is it a crime to be a Muslim?: Dayanidhi Maran asks

“Is it a crime to be a Muslim?,” DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran asks.

Maran said the bill is pitted against the Muslims and opposed the bill.

“When you (Amit Shah) talks about minorities, it looks like satan is preaching gospels,” Maran said.

He also raises a question on bill about exclusion of Sri Lankan Muslims and atheists.

“The government is preoccupied with its hatred for Muslims,” he said.

North-east opposes the bill because we are not slaves: Gaurav Gogoi

“North-east opposes the bill because we are not slaves. I appeal to all North East parties to vote with their conscience” Congress leader from Assam Gaurav Gogoi said.

“Home Minister should apologise to the one lakh Gurkhas who defend our borders and found themselves out of the NRC. We, the north east, oppose this bill cause we are not slaves.” he added.

Unconstitutional bill: Manish Tewari

“This is against Article 14, 15, 21, 25 and 26 of the Constitution. This Bill is unconstitutional and against basic right of equality,” Manish Tewari, senior Congress leader says in Lok Sabha:

“During the debate on Citizenship bill today, some members of the ruling party were saying that the Congress party was responsible for the partition of the country on the basis of religion. I want to remind them that the idea of partition on the religious basis was first floated in 1935 by Hindu Mahasabha by Savarkar,” he added.

This is divisive: AITC

“Swami Vivekananda would be shell shocked if was here seeing this bill as it is against his idea of India. BJP’s idea of India is divisive. It will be disastrous if we ignore words of Mahatma Gandhi and not heed the advice of Sardar Patel,” TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee said.

I am not convinced by the home minister : NCP leader Supriya Sule

‘Home Minister Amit Shah said the Bill, which lapsed in the previous Lok Sabha, was discussed by a Joint Parliamentary Country and question regarding religion were discussed. But checking with the JPC report, we did not approve the current model of the Bill.’ opposing the Citizenship bill, NCP MP Supriya Sule said in the Lok Sabha.

“Entire ethos of our democracy is equality and talking about Article 14 and 15, I am not convinced by the home minister, it will be struck down in the Supreme Court. I request him to rethink of it and please withdraw the bill,” Sule said.

This bill is against Assam Accord: Badruddin Ajmal

The Citizenship Amendment Bill is against Assam Accord, says AIUDF chief and one of the leading politicians of Assam Badruddin Ajmal.

This is a communal agenda: IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty

IUML MP PK Kunhalikutty said that the party “vehementally opposes the Bill.”

“Today you divide the nation in the name of religion, tomorrow it will be on language, all this in the name of (Sardar) Patel. This is a communal agenda, against the Constitution. I am sure this will not stand in the Supreme Court,” he said.

TRS in line with their ‘secular party policy’

“We oppose Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019, in line with our secular party policy. We strictly follow the provisions and spirit of Indian Constitution,” Nama Nageswara Rao, TRS MP says in Lok Sabha.

TRS has issued a whip against all its members to vote against the bill. 

Racial Supremacy in India, Says CPI (M) Leader MD Salim

Senior CPI(M) leader Md Salim criticized that the Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to complete the “unfinished task” of the Sangh Parivar to establish “racial supremacy” in the country.

He also claimed that the objective of the bill is not to grant citizenship, but to divide people. 

Violates the basic structural features of the constitution : NK Premachandran

“Bill violates the basic structural features of the constitution envisioned in the preamble as entitlement of citizenship based on religion is against the secular fabric of the country,” says NK Premachandran of Revolutionary Socialist Party

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