The bill allows citizenship for six communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists -- fleeing persecution from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. (Photo | PTI)
The 'CAB' seeks to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to make illegal migrants from these communities eligible for citizenship in India. (Photo | PTI)
The bill has kicked up a row for leaving out the Muslim community on the grounds that Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan are Muslim majority countries.(Photo | PTI)
Opponents of the bill say that it discriminates on the basis of religion. (Photo | PTI)
One of the primary arguments against the Bill is that it violates Article 14 of the Constitution — the Right to Equality. (Photo | PTI)
The citizenship bill has also sparked large-scale protests in the Northeast where local communities feel granting citizenship to foreigners will be a threat to their identity. (Photo | PTI)
Parties including the Congress, CPI(M), Telangana Rashtra Samithi, Trinamool Congress and DMK have opposed the bill while parties like the JD(U) and Shiv Sena have not yet taken a clear stand. (Photo | PTI)
Meanwhile, security has been beefed up across the Northeast, especially in Assam, and mobile services have been disrupted in Tripura. (Photo | PTI)
The CAB was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday and is scheduled to be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on December 11 2019 where the Modi government requires the support of at least 123 MPs in the 245-member House to pass the bill. (Photo | PTI)
