Deputy Chief Minister of Rajasthan Sachin Pilot on Tuesday alleged that politics is behind the government's decision to introduce the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
He claimed that the bill is an attempt to divert people's attention from issues like unemployment and slow economic growth.
The bill seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955, in order to grant Indian nationality to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians who come to India after facing religious persecution in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan even if they don't possess proper documents.
It was passed in the Lok Sabha a little past midnight on Monday after a heated debate that lasted over seven hours. It will now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
"There is politics somewhere behind introducing the bill. It is not written in the Constitution that there should be discrimination on the basis of religion. The Congress has opposed the bill in principle and the party's stand is clear that religion should not be the ground for (granting) citizenship," Pilot, who is also the Rajasthan Congress chief, told reporters here.
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"Amendments to the Citizenship Act have been made in the past as well but it is the first time that it is being opposed in parts of the country," he said.
The government's decision to introduce the bill was met with protests in northeastern states with most student unions and regional political parties opposing it.
The protesters said it will nullify the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985, which fixed March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of all illegal immigrants irrespective of religion.
Pilot said the government should have instead shown urgency in addressing issues of unemployment, rising inflation and slow economic growth.
"The economy has come to a standstill. There is unemployment and businesses have been affected but the government is focused on an issue which is not very important. It was done to divert public attention," the deputy chief minister said.
The reality is that inflation has hit people, he added.
Pilot said the Congress will hold a massive rally in Delhi to highlight farmers' issues, unemployment and economic slowdown.
"The Congress is the principal opposition party and other political parties are also supporting (us) on different issues. The rally, which will be held in Delhi, will give a new turn to the politics of the country. The issues which we are raising are related to the masses and impact their lives," he said.
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