US Panel condemns Citizenship Amendment Bill; India says it's unwarranted

New Delhi: India said that the US panel United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) statement condemning a controversial bill on citizenship is "neither accurate nor warranted".

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) described the proposed bill as "a dangerous turn in the wrong direction", and said it was "deeply troubled" by its passage in the Lok Sabha.

In an official statement, the USCIRF stated: "If the CAB passes in both Houses of Parliament, the United States government should consider sanctions against the Home Minister [the bill was introduced by Amit Shah and other principal leadership. India's Ministry of External Affairs said the citizenship bill "expedited consideration for Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities already in India from certain contiguous countries. It seeks to address its current difficulties and meet their basic human rights."

In response, the Ministry of External Affairs said that neither the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill nor the National Register of Citizens process seeks to strip citizenship from Indian citizens of any faith. The Ministry further added that every nation, including the US, has the right to enumerate and validate its citizenry and to exercise this prerogative through various policies.

The bill that passed with a majority in the Lok Sabha is now pending for approval by the Rajya Sabha. The Bill will be up for discussion tomorrow in The Rajya Sabha. If the bill is made a law, the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill would give non-Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh easier access to become Indian citizens with relaxed laws.

Critics of the bill have said that introducing it is unconstitutional.