Gambhir reminisces how his grandfather came to Delhi as refugee & found success in India

Former cricketer and BJP leader Gautam Gambhir on December 11, lauded the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) and congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah over the passing of the Bill. Revealing that his grandfather had come from Multan to Delhi as a refugee in 1947, Gambhir wished that the persecuted refugees do not have to look back ever.

CAB passes in Rajya Sabha 

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 (CAB) by a majority of 125-105 votes. This comes after more than 40 MPs including P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Derek O'Brien, Sanjay Singh, Sanjay Raut, and Vaiko put forth their arguments either in favour or against the CAB. 

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Read: Afghan Sikh migrant families happy on CAB passing in Lok Sabha, say 'We are Indians'

The Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. Through this bill, Indian citizenship will be provided to the members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from the three countries to India till December 31, 2014, to put an end to them being treated as illegal immigrants in the country. The Bill was passed by the Lower House of the Parliament earlier this year but lapsed with the term of the previous Lok Sabha during the first term of the PM Narendra Modi government in the Centre. The bill was passed in Lok Sabha with a roaring majority of 311 votes in favour and 80 against the Bill. The CAB seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who had fled due to persecution and have sought refuge in India since December 31, 2014, or before.

Read: 'Biggest mistake': Amit Shah cites partition on religious lines as raison d'être for CAB

Read: Ashoke Pandit disagrees with Anubhav Sinha on alleged post on CAB, latter says 'Mubarak'