GUWAHATI: President Ram Nath Kovind said on Friday that with the passing of the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, the government has fulfilled the will of Mahatma Gandhi.
"I am happy that the will of the Father of the Nation has been fulfilled by enacting Citizenship Amendment Act by both Houses of the Parliament," said President Kovind while addressing the joint sitting of Parliament ahead of the Budget Session.
The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which provides for Indian citizenship to persons belonging to religious minority groups persecuted in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, was passed by Parliament in December last year during the Winter Session.
The Lok Sabha passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill on December 9 while the Rajya Sabha passed it on December 12.