The lower house of India's parliament has approved a controversial law that the government says offers a home for people fleeing religious persecution but which opponents say undermines the country's secular identity. The bill, which must still be approved by parliament's upper house, would bring sweeping changes to India's 64-year-old citizenship law by allowing illegal migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to obtain Indian nationality, but only if they are members of religious minorities in the countries they fled. Thus, it would offer protection to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsees, Bhuddists and Christians - but not to Muslims.
Critics say it is the latest effort by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to move modern India away from its secular roots and toward an explicitly Hundi-nationalist agenda.
Are the foundations of India's secular democracy crumbling?
Presenter: Halla Mohiedeen
Guests:
Harsh Mander, Centre for Equity Studies, New Delhi
Ronan Lee, Queen Mary University, London.
Sreeram Chaulia, Jindal School of International Affairs
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