New Delhi:
Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.K. Abdul Momen on Wednesday said there are only few countries in the world where communal harmony is as good as in his country. He rejected allegations that minorities face religious persecution in the country. “There are a very few countries where communal harmony is as good as in Bangladesh.”
Referring to Home Minister Amit Shah, he added, “If he stayed in Bangladesh for few months, he would see exemplary communal harmony in our country (sic)”, ANI quotes Momen as saying to Bangladesh media.
He added, “India have many problems within their country. Let them fight among themselves. That does not bother us. As a friendly country, we hope that India will not do somethinWeg that affects our friendly relationship.”
However, the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi made it clear that the Bill provides expedited consideration for Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities already in India from certain contiguous countries. The MEA statement added that every nation has the right to enumerate and validate its citizenry, and to exercise the prerogative through various policies.
According to the legislation, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, till December 31, 2014 facing religious persecution there, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Lok Sabha cleared the Bill on Monday.
Moreover, the United Nations on Wednesday refused to comment on the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha. 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, "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."
