Citizenship on religious basis 'antithetical' to the Constitution

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday claimed that citizenship granted on "religious basis" was "antithetical" to the Constitution, which was enough reason to oppose the controversial CAA. He was responding to comments of Home Minister Amit Shah that opposition was spreading falsehood on the legislation and that the Act was meant to give citizenship and not take it away.

Owaisi also said if a law provides citizenship to six groups but "excludes one," then it is only meant to deny citizenship. "If a law confers citizenship on 6 groups but excludes one, then it's a law to deny citizenship, Shah sb may not like the Constitution, but he has to work within its limits.

Citizenship on religious basis is antithetical to our Constitution & that's reason enough to oppose it," Owaisi tweeted. According to the act, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, and are facing religious persecution there, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.