Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is patently unconstitutional: P Chidambaram

Former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which has been passed by the Lok Sabha, is "patently unconstitutional."

New Delhi [India], Dec 11 : Former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Wednesday said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which has been passed by the Lok Sabha, is "patently unconstitutional."

"It is a sad day that elected parliamentarians are being asked to do something unconstitutional. It is our job as the elected parliamentarians to ensure that we don't do anything, which is unconstitutional," Chidambaram told .

He added: "If the executive is complicit and the parliament collaborates with the executives and does something completely unconstitutional, the game will shift to the judiciary and the judges have to pronounce the validity of the Bill. Then this Bill will be struck down as it is patently unconstitutional."

Asserting that the Bill will be challenged in the Supreme Court if it passes parliament, the Congress leader said: "This Bill will be challenged in the Supreme Court if it passes parliament and I am absolutely certain that the judges in the Supreme Court will strike it down."

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, Chidambaram said: "The government says that 130 crore people are supporting them over the Bill. Assam, Northeast, all other student activists, scientists and writers protesting against the Bill aren't people? How can 130 crore people support them when the entire northeast is in flames?"

The discussion on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 is currently underway in the Rajya Sabha.

( With inputs from ANI )