N.K. Premachandran: CAB violates basic structural features of the Constitution

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was introduced in the Lok Sabha by the Home Minister Amit Shah. Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) leader N.K. Premachandran said that the Bill violated the basic features of the Constitution of India.

During the debate in the Lok Sabha, he said, "This Bill violates the basic structural features of the constitution envisioned in the preamble as an entitlement of citizenship based on religion is against the secular fabric of the country."

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Bill faces severe opposition

There was heavy discussion and debate in the Lower House of the Parliament with the various opposition leaders opposing the Bill and demanding that the Bill should not even be considered for discussion, all of which culminated in the government winning a vote on the bill's tabling. 

During the arguments, Asaduddin Owaisi, leader of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), opposed the Bill and said, "I appeal to you (Speaker), save the country from such a law and save the Home Minister also, otherwise what will happen is that like in Nuremberg Race Laws, and Israel's Citizenship act, Home Minister's name will be featured with Hitler and David Ben-Gurion." The comments by Owaisi lead to an uproar by the MPs of the ruling party, and the speaker Om Birla asked for the remarks to be struck off because of the usage of unparliamentary language. Later on Monday afternoon, the Lok Sabha approved the tabling of the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 with 293 votes for and 82 votes against it. 

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The Bill amends the Citizenship Act 1955 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship, as explained by PRS. Many lawmakers have argued that since the Bill allows refugees i.e. illegal migrants to apply for citizenship based on religion, it may violate Article 14 which guarantees the right to equality.

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(with ANI inputs)