NEW DELHI — India's Lok Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2026 late Tuesday with a vote of 312 to 198, triggering a fresh wave of protests across major cities including Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. The legislation, introduced by Home Minister Amit Shah, fast-tracks citizenship for highly skilled workers from neighboring countries but excludes several categories of applicants in ways that opposition leaders say amount to religious and class-based discrimination.
The bill modifies India's existing citizenship framework by creating a new 'talent visa' pathway that grants expedited permanent residency and eventual citizenship to professionals in technology, medicine, and engineering from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Myanmar. However, it notably excludes unskilled laborers and domestic workers, and opposition members of the INDIA alliance bloc argue the eligibility criteria are structured to favor Hindu and Christian applicants over Muslims.
Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition, called the bill 'a wolf in sheep's clothing' during a heated parliamentary debate. 'This government wraps exclusion in the language of meritocracy,' Gandhi said from the floor of the Lok Sabha. 'They want to choose who is Indian based on their religion and their salary, not their humanity.' Several opposition MPs staged a walkout before the final vote.
Street protests erupted within hours of the bill's passage. In Kolkata, an estimated 50,000 demonstrators gathered at the Shahid Minar grounds, while police deployed water cannon against crowds near Mumbai's Azad Maidan. Student unions at Jawaharlal Nehru University and Jamia Millia Islamia announced indefinite strikes. Authorities in Assam, where previous citizenship legislation sparked deadly unrest in 2019, imposed precautionary restrictions on public gatherings in Guwahati.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended the legislation in a televised address, framing it as essential for India's competitiveness in the global race for talent. 'India must attract the brightest minds from our region,' Modi said. 'This bill is about India's future as a knowledge superpower.' He dismissed allegations of discrimination as 'politically motivated misinformation.'
The bill now moves to the Rajya Sabha, where the ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance holds a narrower majority. Legal experts predict immediate constitutional challenges, with senior advocate Dushyant Dave telling reporters that petitions would be filed in the Supreme Court within days. International observers, including the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, called on India to ensure the legislation complies with its obligations under international law.