The CPI Wednesday claimed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 -- seeking to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan -- was totally against the secular ethos of the Constitution and demanded that it be withdrawn.
The bill was passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday amid protests by opposition parties who termed the proposed law "divisive" and "flawed".
The CPI in a statement alleged, "The bill which grants everybody except Muslims citizenship is totally against the secular ethos of the Constitution and is being pushed by the Narendra Modi government at the fag end of its term only to polarize voters for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections."
The party expressed concern over the situation in North-Eastern states, especially Assam, which it alleged were witnessing violent protests after the bill was passed in the Lok Sabha.
"As the Northeast is a very sensitive area, the government should have taken into confidence all stake holders before any such move," the statement read.
The CPI welcomed Asom Gana Parisad's (AGP) decision to break away from the NDA over the issue.
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