USCIRF's comment on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is neither accurate nor warranted: MEA

"The Statement made by the USCIRF on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is neither accurate nor warranted. The Bill provides expedited consideration for Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities already in India from certain contiguous countries," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a statement.

"It seeks to address their current difficulties and meet their basic human rights. Such an initiative should be welcomed, not criticized by those who are genuinely committed to religious freedom," he said.

“Neither the CAB nor the National Register of Citizens (NRC) process seeks to strip citizenship from any Indian citizen of any faith. Suggestions to that effect are motivated and unjustified. Every nation, including the United States, has the right to enumerate and validate its citizenry, and to exercise this prerogative through various policies,” Kumar said in the statement. 

The MEA also made it clear that the USCIRF has no 'locus standi' on the issue.

The United States House Foreign Affairs Committee expressed its apprehensions over the Indian government's Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and said any religious test for citizenship 'undermines the most basic democratic tenet'.

"Religious pluralism is central to the foundations of both India and the United States and is one of our core shared values. Any religious test for citizenship undermines this most basic democratic tenet. #CABBill," the Committee said tweeted.

The Lok Sabha created history on Monday mid-night as it gave the crucial nod to the much talked about Citizenship Amendment Bill by an overwhelming majority.

US Commission on International Religious Freedom, on the other hand, sought sanction against Shah in case the Bill is brought to effect.

"The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is deeply troubled by the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB), originally introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah, in the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament) given the religion criterion in the bill. The CAB will now move to the Rajya Sabha (Indian Parliament’s Upper House). If the CAB passes in both houses of parliament, the United States government should consider sanctions against the Home Minister and other principal leadership," it said.

"The CAB enshrines a pathway to citizenship for immigrants that specifically excludes Muslims, setting a legal criterion for citizenship based on religion. The CAB is a dangerous turn in the wrong direction; it runs counter to India’s rich history of secular pluralism and the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law regardless of faith. In conjunction with the ongoing National Register of Citizens (NRC) process in Assam and nationwide NRC that the Home Minister seeks to propose, USCIRF fears that the Indian government is creating a religious test for Indian citizenship that would strip citizenship from millions of Muslims," read the statement.

As many as 311 members backed it and 80 MPs from Congress, Trinamool Congress and other opposition parties voted against it.

Several amendments from the opposition members were negated by division or voice votes.

In his spirited reply, Home Minister Amit Shah said in no way the new and revised Bill will be contradicting or violating basic structures of the Constitution.

The Bill in its previous format was passed by the last Lok Sabha but could not reach the Rajya Sabha as the Lower House was dissolved and the draft law had lapsed.

Shah also said the BJP and the central government is firm about bringing in NRC norms across the country.

According to the revised draft law, members of the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and were facing religious persecution in those countries will be given citizenship.

Under the existing provisions, migrants from these six communities from Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh without proper documents are considered ineligible to apply for Indian citizenship.

It is proposed in the Bill to make these migrants eligible for Indian citizenship but with the condition that the illegal migrants have entered into India up to the cut of date of December 31, 2014.

The Bill also made provisions for migrants of six communities who have applied for Indian citizenship under section 5 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 but were unable to produce proof of their Indian origin.

In his reply and while piloting the Bill, Shah sought to allay fears of people in the North-Eastern States, saying all the States in the region were well protected by the Bengal East Frontier Regulation, 1873 and provisions of Inner Line Permit (ILP).

In a major breakthrough for the government key northeastern parties NPP in Meghalaya, MNF in Mizoram and lone NPF member in Manipur backed the Citizenship Amendment Bill.