Citizenship Bill on Monday in Lok Sabha !

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. 

BJP may dump Citizenship Bill

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

A Lokmat Exclusive report

BJP may dump Citizenship Bill

Centre calls meeting of North-East CM s on Feb 11

Harish Gupta

New Delhi, Feb 7

The BJP leadership seem to have decided buy peace in North East and all set to dump the controversial Citizenship Bill pending for passage in the Rajya Sabha.

The U-turn came today when the Modi government decided to hold a meeting of Chief Ministers of the North Eastern states on Monday. The Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, has called the meeting of North East CM s to find if there is any meeting ground. The Citizenship Bill has not been listed in the Rajya Sabha though parliament session began on January 31. The session is ending on February 13 and no bill will be taken up on the last day. A final decision will be taken on February 11 after the CM s' meeting. It simply means that there is only day February 12 when the bill can be passed. But considering the stiff opposition to the bill by almost all North Eastern states, there is every likelihood that the bill is buried.

Until the other day, the BJP leadership including the PM and party president Amit Shah were saying that the party will go ahead with the bill. But today, a high-level meeting of party leaders including top leaders from North east met Rajnath Singh and decided that CM s be invited to take a final call.

It must be borne in mind that the Rajya Sabha is yet to discuss the President’s address, interim budget presentation and three ordinances, including one on Triple Talaq, the Companies (Amendment) Bill and the Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill.

Though the Lok Sabha passed Citizenship Bill amid protests, all the seven states of North East states are up in arm against it. The BJP leadership has been told that there are 25 Lok Sabha seats which are at stake and it would be better that a reasonable assurance is given by the Centre on the issue.

The Bill seeks to give citizenship to non-Muslims from 3 countries, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Assam has been simmering over the past few days ever since Prime Minister Narendra Modi floated the proposal of the bringing the Citizenship Bill at a rally in the northeast state.

Ends