NEW DELHI: The leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday said the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is not in the interest of the country.
"CAB is not in the interest of the country and this is the reason why people are protesting against it. All north-eastern states are opposing this Bill,' he said.
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"Many political parties that supported the bill in Lok Sabha will surely change their stand in Rajya Sabha after seeing the massive protests across India," the Congress leader added.
The Bill seeks to give citizenship to refugees from the Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zoroastrian communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh.
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The cut-off date for getting citizenship under the bill is December 31, 2014.
It was passed in Lok Sabha on Monday with a majority of 311 votes against 80 votes where 391 members were present and voting.
At noon today, it was tabled in the Rajya Sabha by Home Minister Amit Shah.