Asaduddin Owaisi claims Citizenship (Amendment) Bill seeks to make Muslims 'stateless'

AIMIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday launched a blistering attack on the Union government in Lok Sabha over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, saying it was aimed at making Muslims "stateless" and will lead to another partition.

Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, Owaisi said he was called Mahatma after he tore the discriminatory citizenship card in South Africa, and the Hyderabad MP then ripped the copy of the bill to highlight his protest, inviting sharp reactions from the treasury benches which described his act an "insult" to Parliament.

This is an insult to India's freedom-fighters, he said, accusing the BJP-led government of working to marginalise Muslims in the country. "The bill is against the Constitution... It is a conspiracy to make Muslims stateless," Owaisi said, questioning the government as to why it had not included countries like China, which occupies parts of India and other countries.

"Are you afraid of China?" he asked.

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Owaisi, in a dramatic protest, tore apart the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 arguing it to be anti-national, inside the Lok Sabha on Monday evening. Ripping apart the Bill introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah, Owaisi claimed that it will lead to a new partition of the country. Earlier in the day, contending the Bill, the Telangana MP equated it to the Nazi's Nuremberg Race Law, moreover, compared Amit Shah to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. 

"The law is being made so there is a partition again. Where have you taken the country? What is our fault? That we are Muslims? You are suppressing them. Another partition is on its way." Owaisi said in a fiery speech on the floor of the House. "This bill is against the Constitution of India and disrespect to our freedom fighters. I tear the bill, it is trying to divide our country," he added. 

"I appeal to you (Speaker), save the country from such a law and save Home Minister also; otherwise, like in Nuremberg race laws and Israel's citizenship act, Home Minister's name will be featured with Hitler and David Ben-Gurion," Owaisi said on Monday morning,  however, the remarks of Owaisi were expunged after the BJP members raised an objection.

Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

Opposition leaders Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Saugata Roy, N K 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.

WATCH |Asaduddin Owaisi rips Citizenship Amendment Bill to shreds amid Lok Sabha debate

The tabling of the emotive bill comes even as there were protests and incidents of violence in Northeastern states with most of the student unions and regional political parties opposing it, saying it will nullify the provisions of the Assam Accord of 1985, which fixed March 24, 1971, as the cut-off date for deportation of all illegal immigrants irrespective of religion. The BJP-led NDA government had introduced the bill in its previous tenure and got Lok Sabha's approval. But it did not introduce it in Rajya Sabha, apparently due to vehement protests in the Northeast and lack of majority in the House.