The bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India even if they do not possess any document.

CHURCHES in Mizoram have come together to hold special prayers on February 10 for the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill to be defeated in the Rajya Sabha.

The Presbyterian Church’s Mizoram Synod sources told media that members of 16 major denominations in Mizoram also held prayers the previous night.

The Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a conglomeration of leaders of major Churches, had appealed to all denominations to pray so that the bill gets stalled in the Rajya Sabha.

A press statement issued by the MKHC said that the bill is “harmful” for Mizoram and Christians.

The bill, being vehemently opposed in the Northeast, was passed in Lok Sabha on January 8 and the Central government has said it will try to get the bill passed in Rajya Sabha in the current budget session.

The bill seeks to provide Indian citizenship to Hindus, Jains, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Parsis from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan after six years of residence in India even if they do not possess any document.

“Passage of the amendment bill can result in suppression of the freedom of religion and is against the spirit of secularism,” the MKHC statement said.

It appealed to the Church members to pray for religious freedom in India so that the people can continue to worship God freely.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a public meeting at Changsari in Assam on February 9 assured the people of the region that the bill will in no way cause harm to their interests.