In India, the lower House, Lok Sabha has passed the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill which grants citizenship right to minorities from neighbouring countries excluding Muslims.

311 MPs voted in favour and 80 against it.

Oppositions politicians inside parliament said the bill discriminated against Muslims and violated India’s secular constitution.

In a statement issued on Monday, a group of more than 1,000 Indian scientists and scholars also called for the immediate withdrawal of the bill.

NNR/Khokhar