The Lok Sabha Monday passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill with 311 votes in favor. Congress party and other opposition parties’ 80 MPs voted against the Bill. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who presented the Bill said the Bill is a promise BJP made in its election manifesto of 2014 and 2019 and is fulfilling it.
Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian people, who have come to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, and facing religious persecution there will be given Indian citizenship. No word was mentioned on Muslims. Western media is calling it a slaughter of democracy in India. Congress is saying BJP is sectarian, communal party. Opposition is losing track of its capacity to debate on legitimate, sensible issues.
It is no mystery that congress party is favored by Muslim vote bank. BJP has only recently been able to tackle Hindu voter’s sympathy. Those who remember recent history, influx of refugees from eastern Pakistan that is Bangla desh now, shook India so bad with millions of refugees in West Bengal that India had to invade Pakistan on both sides, east and west. Pakistan was split despite its membership in NATO and US support. Indira was called Durga Mata and crowned with great victory in 1971 elections.
India today is crowded by these three neighbors’ citizens looking for better opportunities. How can opposition find a reason to oppose the bill that is pure self protection? Western powers are all protecting their borders from foreigners, specifically brown or black or yellow (Chinese) foreigners be it liberal Scandinavia or the United States.
Modi formed a government with majority in 2019 not less than Indira got in 1971. His work is mandate of the people. Opposition must find cause that can get people’ attention like economy, like employment, like labor laws and the global trends where BJP is missing the boat strategically.
Opposition of CAB or Article 370 is an intellectual bankruptcy against a nation of 1.3 billion people. Vote bank politics was a nightmare for India and hopefully it is over. Both sides have to debate on issues that concern young India of 2021, not a non issue like CAB or Article 370. We need more of people like Subramanian Swamy or may be like Chidambaram who pick on issues that matter.
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