PM Modi expresses delight after Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is passed in Lok Sabha

Prime Minister Modi applauded Home minister Amit Shah for "lucidly" explaining all aspects of the Bill. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

 New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed delight over the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in Lok Sabha and said that it is "in line with India's centuries-old ethos of assimilation and belief in humanitarian values".

 The Prime Minister also applauded Home minister Amit Shah for "lucidly" explaining all aspects of the Bill. 

"I would like to especially applaud Home Minister Amit Shah Ji for lucidly explaining all aspects of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019. He also gave elaborate answers to the various points raised by respective MPs during the discussion in the Lok Sabha," he said in a tweet.

The Lok Sabha on Monday (December 9) passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019, with a majority of 311 votes against 80 votes in the Lower House where 391 members were present and voting. The debate on the same lasted for seven hours.

 The Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.

 Through this Bill, Indian citizenship will be provided to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, based on certain criteria, with the objective of putting an end to them being treated as illegal immigrants in the country.

 Next the Bill will be tabled in Rajya Sabha where the NDA will require the support of at least 123 MPs in the 245-member house.