Citizenship Bill: Anand Sharma said the bill is an "assault" on the foundations of the Constitution
Attacking the ruling BJP on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill today in the Rajya Sabha, Congress leader Anand Sharma referred to the Hindu belief in reincarnation to take a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel would be very upset at PM Modi over the citizenship bill if they met, the Congress leader remarked to the amusement of the house.
"In our religion, we believe in rebirth and that we meet our elders. So if Sardar Patel meets Modi he will be very angry with him. Gandhi-ji will of course be sad, but Patel will be indeed very angry," said the Congress leader.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill or CAB seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh who entered India before 2015. It was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday after a seven hour debate.
The bill is an "assault" on the foundations of the Constitution and fails the morality test, said Anand Sharma, asserting that it was wrong to blame his party for the Partition.
"The Bill that you have brought is an assault on the very foundation of the Indian constitution. It is an assault on the Republic of India. It hurts the soul of India. It is against our Constitution and democracy. It fails the morality test. It is divisive and discriminatory," Mr Sharma said.
Several people from both East and West Pakistan had come to India, he said, referring to former prime ministers IK Gujral and Manmohan Singh.
"Did people from East and West Pakistan not come and given shelter after Partition? Did they not get citizenship and live a dignified life? Two of our prime ministers came to India after Partition -- Dr Manmohan Singh and IK Gujral," Mr Sharma said.
It was Veer Savarkar - one of the BJP's icons - who had propagated the two-nation theory, the Congress parliamentarian said.
"Savarkar was the leader of Hindu Mahasabha. (Muhammad Ali) Jinnah was the leader of Muslim League. The two-nation theory was not propagated by Congress. It was done by Savarkar. The Muslim League adopted the Partition of India resolution," the Congress leader continued.
"I appeal to you to look at India, its society and its humanity through the spectacles of Mahatma Gandhi. Your Citizenship Amendment Bill clashes with that," Sharma said.