After its big push that helped Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 sail through Parliament and subsequently turning into an Act with the Presidential assent, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has now decided to orgse a series of zonal workshops across country in its bid to make the potential beneficiaries i.e. the persecuted minority communities (Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Christian and Jews) and common citizens, aware about the details and benefits that the said Act will reap.
As per the schedule, the workshops would be orgsed in Lucknow on December 14, Delhi and Mumbai on December 15, Bengaluru and Kolkata on December 16 and in Guwahati on December 18.
"As directed by the national working president JP Nadda, it has been decided to take the provisions of this Act down to the masses and explain how the persecuted minorities will be empowered and granted Indian citizenship through this Act. It has been decided to orgse six zonal workshops," said a communique from BJP Headquarters to all state in-charges, state presidents, and state general secretaries among others.
The contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 became an Act after President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday gave his assent to it. The Bill sailed through both the Houses of Parliament as it was passed by Rajya Sabha on Wednesday and in Lower House on Monday.
According to the Act, members of the Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Zoroastrian communities who have come from Pakistan, Afghstan, and Bangladesh till December 31, 2014, and facing religious persecution there will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.
( With inputs from ANI )