Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Slams Opposition For Supporting Anti-Citizenship Law Protests

Union Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Friday slammed the Opposition parties for supporting the anti-citizenship law protests and said they should be proud the country is supporting the persecuted people from neighbouring nations.

"It is unfortunate that they are protesting against the law which has been passed by the parliament. They should be proud that we are helping the minorities who were persecuted in their countries. They are trying to obstruct a big mission. India is a sea of humanity and everyone must respect and welcome the decision," he said while speaking to ANI.

Mr Naqvi's statement comes just a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit out at the Congress for opposing the newly-enacted law and for not speaking against Pakistan during the anti-citizenship law protests.

The citizenship law for the first time makes religion the test of citizenship in India. The government says it will help minorities from three Muslim-dominated countries to get citizenship if they fled to India because of religious persecution. Critics say it is designed to discriminate against Muslims and violates the secular principals of the constitution.