India opens doors to persecuted minorities

New Delhi - The Citizenship Amendment Bill was first introduced in 2016 by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

India's cabinet approved a bill on Wednesday to give citizenship to religious minorities persecuted in neighbouring Muslim countries, the first time that the country is seeking to grant nationality on the basis of religion.
Last month, Amit Shah, India's home minister, told parliament that non-Muslim minorities - Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Christians, Sikhs and Parsis - who fled from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan would be given Indian citizenship under the proposed law.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill was first introduced in 2016 by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi but was withdrawn after an ally withdrew support and protests flared in India's northeastern region.

• India