Prime Minister Narendra Modi hopes the quota Bill gets passed in the Rajya Sabha too.

The passage of the Bill in Lok Sabha granting a 10% quota for the economically backward in the general category was a strong rebuff for those “spreading lies” about the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday.

Speaking in Maharashtra’s Solapur district, Mr. Modi expressed hope that the Bill would see smooth passage in the Rajya Sabha as well.

During his address, the Prime Minister further sought to assure the people of Assam, Meghalaya and other northeastern States that the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha would not affect their rights or their opportunities.

“I want to reassure the people of Assam and the northeastern States that their rights will not be curtailed by this [Citizenship Amendment] Bill,” Mr. Modi said during his public address.

The Bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan who have faces religious persecution.

Speaking further on the quota Bill, Mr. Modi said that the rights of the deprived sections, be the Dalits, the OBCs and the tribal people would not be affected because of the new legislation.



“On Tuesday night, the Lok Sabha witnessed a historic event as it passed the [10% general category quota] bill… Some people [opposition] were spreading false propaganda against us, but the passage of the bill is a slap on the face of the dissenters,” said Mr. Modi.

He said that the granting of the 10 per cent reservation to the poor people in the unreserved category would help remove a “feeling of injustice.”

“Unlike other political parties which only indulged in vote-bank politics by guaranteeing benefits only to some sections of society, the BJP believes in providing equal opportunities for every caste and community,” Mr. Modi said.