As Congress Opposes Citizenship Amendment Bill, Here’s When Its Former PM Supported Its Provisions

The Congress party has declared its opposition to the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which is expected to be a boon for Hindu refugees who fled to India after facing Islamic persecution. This bill is expected to be tabled in the Lok Sabha soon.

The crux of the bill is to provide Indian citizenship to minority immigrants who have been persecuted in neighbouring Islamic countries.

Incidentally, while the Congress opposes this bill, its former prime minister Manmohan Singh had supported the bill’s key provision.

As per a report by Times of India, in a discussion in Rajya Sabha back in 2003, Singh was seen endorsing the view that India needs to be more liberal in granting citizenship to minority refugees from Bangladesh who have had to seek refuge in India to escape persecution.

“After partition of our country, the minorities in countries like Bangladesh, have faced persecution, and it is our moral obligation that if circumstances force people, these unfortunate people, to seek refuge in our country, our approach in granting citizenship to these unfortunate persons should be more liberal”, said the transcript.