CAB passage: India's tryst with bigotry, says Priyanka Gandhi

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday(December 10) criticised the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2019 as the confirmation of “India’s tryst with bigotry and narrow-minded exclusion.”

She tweeted that “Our forefathers gave their lifeblood for our freedom”, recalling her great-grandfather Jawaharlal Nehru’s speech on the midnight of August 14-15, 1947, when India rang in its Independence. She added that freedom of religion and equality were enshrined in the freedom attained during independence.

Last night at midnight, India’s tryst with bigotry and narrow minded exclusion was confirmed as the CAB was passed in the Lok Sabha. Our forefathers gave their lifeblood for our freedom.

In that freedom, is enshrined the right to equality, and the right to freedom of religion.

— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) December 10, 2019

Nehru, in his famous ‘Tryst with Destiny’ speech said, “Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom.”

Also read: Priyanka attacks NDA govt; says it “betrayed” people

The Congress general secretary’s remarks came after the CAB was passed in the Lok Sabha with 311 members favouring it and 80 voting against it. The bill will now be tabled in the Rajya Sabha for its nod on Wednesday(December 11).

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also tweeted that the passage of the Bill was an attack on the Constitution.

The #CAB is an attack on the Indian constitution. Anyone who supports it is attacking and attempting to destroy the foundation of our nation.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 10, 2019