USCIRF Criticises the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019

In a very strong statement against the passage of CAB in the Lok Sabha; the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has raised serious concerns against the bill and has criticised by saying, ‘the CAB is a dangerous turn in the wrong direction.’

Crux of the Matter

1. USCIRF has said that it will ask the US administration to consider imposing sanctions against Home Minister Amit Shah and other principal Indian leadership if the bill with the ‘religious criterion’ is enacted into law.

2. Government of India has rebutted to the statement by saying it is “regrettable” that the entity, which has no locus standi on the issue and is guided by its “prejudices and biases”

3. Ministry of External Affairs has asserted that every nation has the right to enumerate and validate its citizenry and to exercise the prerogative through various policies.

4. MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar asserted that the statement on the bill is ‘neither accurate nor warranted.’

5. MEA has clarified that the Bill provides expedited consideration for Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities already in India from certain contiguous countries and meets their basic human rights and that such an initiative should not be criticized by those who are genuinely committed to religious freedom.

Curiopedia

United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission created by the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad. The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 provides for the Commission to be composed of ten members. USCIRF researches and monitors international religious freedom issues and is authorized to travel on fact-finding missions to other countries and hold public hearings. USCIRF uses international standards to monitor religious freedom violations globally and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. More Info

Curated Coverage

1. USCIRF – USCIRF Raises Serious Concerns and Eyes Sanctions Recommendations for Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in India, Which Passed Lower House Today

2. PGURUS – India attacks US Commission on religious freedom for criticizing Citizens Amendment Bill; Says panel guided by ‘prejudices and biases’

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