Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will be passed with 'comfortable majority' in Rajya Sabha: Pralhad Joshi

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, will be tabled in Rajya Sabha at 12 pm and will be passed with a "comfortable majority", Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Wednesday.

"The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will be tabled in Rajya Sabha at 12 pm today. It will be passed in the house with a comfortable majority," Joshi told reporters after attending the BJP parliamentary party meeting held at the Parliament Library Building.

Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Joshi said that the Bill will be written in "golden letters" for people who are persecuted on the basis of religion.

"The religious persecuted minorities have come here after Partition. They are residing here permanently. They don't have citizenship and ration cards. They were leading an unstable life. Now, after this amendment, they will have permanent relief," Joshi said quoting Modi.

The Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zoroastrian communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

After heated discussions spanning seven hours, the Bill was passed by a majority of 311 votes against 80 in the Lower House where 391 members were present and voting on Monday.

The NDA will require the support of at least 123 MPs in the 245-member Rajya Sabha for the Bill to be passed.

During the meeting, Modi also asked the BJP members to keep themselves fit and urged them to contribute to the 'Fit India' movement.

Ahead of the Budget session next year, the Prime Minister asked all MPs to take suggestions of farmers, traders and businessmen in their respective constituencies and give that feedback to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Modi has directed the lawmakers to showcase government's achievements of the Citizenship Amendment Bill and the abrogation of Article 370 to the people on December 25, the birthday of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which the BJP observes as 'Good Governance Day', Joshi further said.