India Citizenship Amendment Bill dropped amid protests

India Citizenship Amendment Bill dropped amid protests

India’s government has quietly shelved a controversial amendment to its citizenship law after violent protests in the north-east of the country.

The bill was aimed at helping Hindus and other minorities move to India from neighbouring Muslim-majority countries.

The legislation cleared parliament’s lower house but the ruling BJP failed to enact it in the upper house, which ended its term without hearing it.

The move marks a major about-turn ahead of general elections due by May.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah told a rally as recently as last month the bill would be pushed through regardless of protests.