'Legislation will go through a legislative process', UN refuses to comment on Citizenship Bill

United Nations, Dec 11: The United Nations on Wednesday refused to comment on the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha and said that the only concern of the watchdog is to ensure that all governments peruse non-discriminatory laws.

When asked about the UN's response to the passage of the bill, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said this legislation will go through a legislative process. "As far as I am aware, this legislation will go through a legislative process. We do not have a comment while the domestic legislative process is being carried out," Guterres said.

"At the same time, our concerns are only of being sure that all governments peruse non-discriminatory laws," Haq added in his weekly briefing.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill piloted by Home Minister Amit Shah was passed by the Lok Sabha with an overwhelming majority on Monday night.

According to the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, non-Muslim minorities, who fled religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and moved to the country before December 31, 2014, will be accorded Indian citizenship.

It, however, exempted tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram or Tripura, as included in the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution, and areas covered under The Inner Line Permit system, notified under Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulation, 1873.

Shah has asserted that the Modi government was committed to protecting the customs and culture of the northeastern states in an effort to assuage concerns that the proposed law will hurt their distinct identity and alter regional demography.