Pakistan described India's Citizenship Amendment Bill as a "malicious intent" to "interfere" in the affairs of neighboring countries. Late on Monday, the Lok Sabha approved the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), which provides citizenship of India to non-Muslims who have come to India as refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till 31 December 2014 facing religious persecution there will not be considered illegal migrants. Home Minister Amit Shah while presenting the bill in Lok Sabha made it clear that people of any religion need not be afraid in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. He emphasized that this bill will provide relief to the minorities who are victims of atrocities in neighboring countries. Amit Shah said, 'In 1947, the minority population in Pakistan was 23 percent. It decreased from 23 percent in 2011 to 3.7 percent.
He further said that India had 84 percent Hindus in 1951, which reduced to 79 percent in 2011, while Muslims were 9.8 percent in 1951, which increased to 14.8 percent in 2011. That is why it is wrong to say that discrimination on the basis of religion is happening in India. He said that there is no discrimination on the basis of religion and neither will be in future. The bill is not discriminatory against any religion and is for oppressed minorities within three countries who are refugees, not intruders. I want to reiterate that there is no need for any refugee policy in the country. There are adequate laws for the protection of refugees in India.(With inputs from agencies)