THE Narendra Modi government’s approval of an Islamophobic citizenship law shows that it has “no idea about the history and the sacrifices of our freedom struggle,” leading Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politician Brinda Karat has charged.

Ms Karat denounced the ruling BJP’s Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), which the cabinet approved on Wednesday, and warned the government it would be bitterly resisted if brought to the Rajya Sabha (India’s upper house of parliament), as Mr Modi intends.

The CPI-M holds that the legislation violates India’s constitution because it excludes Muslim refugees from neighbouring countries from citizenship, while the constitution guarantees rights “irrespective of caste, creed or sex.” It has warned that the Bill forms part of the Hindu chauvinist BJP’s bid to transform India from a secular republic to a theocratic state that strips non-Hindus of their rights.