Closely analysing possible impact of Citizenship Amendment Bill, says UN

The UN is closely analysing the possible consequences of India's amended Citizenship Act, a spokesperson for UN chief Antonio Guterres has said, insisting that the world body has its basic principles, including those enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and expect those to be upheld.

According to the amended Act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.

The Citizenship  Bill or CAB was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday and by the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The Act says the refugees of the six communities will be given Indian citizenship after residing in India for five years, instead of earlier requirement of 11 years.

"We're aware that the lower and upper houses of the Indian Parliament have passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, and we're also aware of the concerns that have been publicly expressed. The United Nations is closely analysing the possible consequences of the law," Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq said Thursday during the daily press briefing.

Haq was responding to a question on whether the Secretary-General has a comment on the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

Haq added that he would also like to draw attention to the fact that some of the UN human rights mechanisms, including rapporteurs, have already been expressing their concerns about the nature of this law, and you can see those from the Human Rights Office.

On whether there will be any statement after the UN completes its analysis of the possible consequences of the law, Haq said we'll have to see what the nature of our reaction needs to be. Right now, we are in the process of analysing the features of this.

"And as I mentioned a few days earlier, of course, we have our basic principles, including those enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and expect those to be upheld, he said.

CAB will extend dignity to non-Muslims from Pak, B'desh, Afghanistan: Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Citizenship  Bill will extend persecuted non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan dignity and an opportunity to rebuild their lives, after the proposed legislation was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday night.

In a series of tweets, Shah also expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for making the Bill a reality.

"I extend my gratitude to PM @narendramodi for making the historic Citizenship Amendment Bill a reality, that will allow India to open its doors to minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who are facing religious persecution. I thank everyone who supported this bill.

"It is well known that those minorities who chose to make Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan their home had to constantly live in the fear of extinction. This amended legislation by Modi govt will allow India to extend them dignity and an opportunity to rebuild their lives," he said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi complimented Shah for "lucidly explaining" all aspects of the measure. "He also gave elaborate answers to the various points raised by respective MPs during the discussion in Lok Sabha," Modi said.

The Lok Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan after facing religious persecution there, a little past midnight on Monday after a heated debate that lasted over seven hours.

The Bill, which was passed in the Lok Sabha with 311 members favouring it and 80 voting against it, will now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha for its nod.