LS passes citizenship amendment bill; Rajnath says it won't hurt Assam

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 was not against the provisions of the Constitution and would give succour to persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring countries, said Rajnath Singh.

The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed a bill that gives Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Bangaldesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, but is bitterly opposed in Assam and others places in northeast India.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019 was not against the provisions of the Constitution and would give succour to persecuted minorities in the three neighbouring countries, said Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Lok Sabha.

The Bill provides for according citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 years even if they do not