by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group
special report
Citizenship Bill on Monday in Lok Sabha !
Numbers stares at Govt. in Rajya Sabha
Harish Gupta
New Delhi, Dec 4
The government is all set to bring the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill or CAB, on Monday in Lok Sabha, December 9.
The new bill cleared by the Union Cabinet on Wednesday morning has new safeguards to protect the culture & heritage of the Assamese people to meet the aspiration of the people there. It also takes into account some of the ethnic groups interest in Northeastern states.
The bill was first tabled by the Modi government in Lok Sabha in 2016 and was referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee. The JPC took three full years and submitted its report in January this year. The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha but parliament ended in February without the proposed law getting Rajya Sabha clearance. It lapsed thereafter.
Now the government would like to get the CAB cracking on Monday itself and ensure that it goes to the Rajya Sabha the next day. The Parliament's session ends on December 13 and this is the most crucial agenda for the government.
The government will have a huge difficulty in Rajya Sabha in getting the bill passed as situation is no good.
The bill seeks to make it easier for non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to become citizens of India. he bill was passed by the Lok Sabha in January but lapsed without being cleared in Rajya Sabha.
