'Anti-Muslim' law challenged in India court
A bill that grants Indian citizenship to non-Muslim illegal immigrants has been challenged in the Supreme Court. The Indian Union Muslim League, a political party, has petitioned the court to declare the bill illegal. The parliament on Wednesday passed the bill which applies to migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Critics say the bill is against Muslims, but the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has defended it. The BJP says the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) will give sanctuary to people fleeing religious persecution. In their petition to the Supreme Court, the Indian Union Muslim League argued that the bill violated articles of equality, fundamental rights and the right to life. It was passed in the upper house of parliament by 125 votes to 105 on Wednesday. It had already cleared the lower house. It will become a law once the president signs it, which is a formality at this stage. The CAB has also trig...