UP: Aligarh Muslim University students protest against CAB, burn copies of Bill

In the wake of the on-going protests across the northeastern States against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), the students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) have joined the bandwagon. The AMU students have staged a protest outside the university campus on the night of December 9, shouted slogans against the bill and burned the copies of the bill.

READ | India Shows US Body Mirror Over Its CAB Criticism, Says 'neither Accurate, Not Warranted'

'We reject the Bill'

The students opined that the Bill presented by Union Home Minister Amit Shah intends to divide the nation on the basis of religion like it did in 1947. Faizul Hassan, Former President of AMU Students Union has alleged that the BJP wants to divide Hindu and Muslims. He further said that the government has named every other religion in the bill except Muslims, which clearly depicts that he and the BJP are against Muslims. "We reject this bill. This is unconstitutional and against the idea of the country and the ideologies of BR Ambedkar, Nehru, Gandhi, and others who had a vision for India. I would request the opposition parties to not let the bill be passed in the Rajya Sabha," he said.

READ | JD(U) Divided Over 'discriminatory' CAB; Leaders Urge Nitish Kumar To Reconsider Backing

The protests against the CAB have intensified after the Bill was passed with a roaring majority in Lok Sabha. The bill is expected to be tabled in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Lok Sabha passed the Citizenship Bill with a majority of 311 votes against 80 votes in the Lower House where 391 members were present and voted. In Rajya Sabha, the center needs the support of at least 123 MPs in the 245-member House to pass the bill.

READ | Eknath Khadse Claims BJP Members Worked Against Party In Maharashtra, Cites 'evidence'

Most of the opposition parties like Congress, CPI (M), most north-eastern parties, AIMIM, Trinamool Congress have openly revolted against the bill, calling it unconstitutional and against India's secularity. Opposition leaders Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Saugata Roy, NK Premchandran, Gaurav Gogoi, Shashi Tharoor, and Assaduddin Owaisi opposed the introduction of the bill in the Lok Sabha, which seeks to give citizenship to non-Muslims from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan escaping religious persecution there, saying it was violative of various provisions of the Constitution, including move to grant citizenship on the basis of religion.

READ | Shiv Sena Defies Congress On CAB, Will Back Former Ally BJP Even In Rajya Sabha

(With ANI inputs)