The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which is now expected to be tabled in Parliament next week.
“It has been given clearance and will be discussed once it is deferred in Parliament,” Prakash Javadekar stated in the Cabinet guidance.
The Cabinet approval was crucial as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has been strongly advocating a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The Opposition has staunchly opposed both the Bill and the country-wide NRC.
On Tuesday, Union home minister Amit Shah had met various stakeholders from the northeastern states to understand their concerns over the proposed law.
During the last winter session, the Lok Sabha had passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016. While the Bill awaited passage in the Upper House, it had lapsed after the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha.
Opposition parties are once again likely to push for the Bill to be referred to a select committee before it is discussed in the Upper House.
Meanwhile, Union defense minister Rajnath Singh, during the parliamentary party meeting last week, had warned party’s members of Parliament against absenteeism in the House as the party would likely table the Bill next week.
