India's Hindu nationalist government has won parliamentary approval for a far-reaching citizenship law that critics say undermines the country's secular constitution by excluding Muslims
It is the third key election promise that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has delivered since he was re-elected in May, re-energising his nationalist, Hindu support base and drawing attention away from a slackening economy.
A bus stand in flames after demonstrators set it on fire as they protest against the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Gauhati, India.Soldiers were deployed in Tripura state and reinforcements put on standby in neighbouring Assam, both of which border Bangladesh, where people fear an influx of settlers.
The Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to protect besieged minorities in neighbouring states by granting Indian nationality to Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Parsis and Sikhs who fled Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan before 2015.Protesters burnt tires and blocked highways and rail tracks for a second day as the upper house of Parliament began debating legislation that would grant citizenship to persecuted Hindus and other religious minorities but not Muslims.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Indian protesters set fire to train stations as new law opens citizenship to some migrantsIndian protesters angry over a new federal law making it easier for non-Muslim minorities from some neighbouring countries to seek Indian citizenship attack train stations and block highways in the country's north-east.
Read more »
India passes contentious 'anti-Muslim' law amid violent protestsThe bill will let the Indian government grant citizenship to millions of illegal immigrants who entered India from three neighbouring countries before 2015 - but not if they are Muslim.
Read more »
Indian protesters set fire to train stations as new law opens citizenship to some migrantsIndian protesters angry over a new federal law making it easier for non-Muslim minorities from some neighbouring countries to seek Indian citizenship attack train stations and block highways in the country's north-east.
Read more »
WA legalises voluntary assisted dyingWestern Australia has become the second Australian state after Victoria to pass voluntary assisted dying laws.
Read more »
'Deeply distressed' Westpac chairman faces angry investors at AGMWestpac's board is fronting shareholders for the first time since it was charged with breaching anti-money laundering laws 23 million times and inadvertently facilitating payments for child sex abuse.
Read more »
Bougainville votes overwhelmingly for independence from PNGThe people of Bougainville have chosen overwhelmingly to become the world's newest nation in a historic referendum to break away from Papua New Guinea
Read more »