New Delhi, December 11: Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said that people who are criticising the controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 are being called "anti-national". Seeking clarity on some points regarding the Citizenship Amendment Bill, including whether those who will be granted citizenship will have voting rights, Sanjay Raut said that "we don't need any validation or lesson on nationalism from anyone". Catch Live Updates of Citizenship Amendment Bill Debate in Rajya Sabha.

"I have been hearing since yesterday that those who do not support this Bill are anti-national and those who support it are nationalist," Raut said in Rajya Sabha during a debate on the Citizenship Amendment Bill. "I read that two Muslim soldiers were martyred recently. Their families are also against this Bill. Will you call them anti-national. We don't need any validation or lesson on nationalism from anyone," he added. CAB Inspired by Nazi Ideology, Terminology Used by PM Modi, Amit Shah Similar to Hitler Era: Derek O'Brien in Rajya Sabha.

Earlier today, Raut had hinted a change in the party's stand, claiming that the proposed Bill to amend citizenship issuance criteria will create a communal divide across the nation. "Lok Sabha numbers are different, the situation in the Rajya Sabha is different. The government has to reply to our queries. Vote bank politics is not right. You are trying to create a Hindu-Muslim divide in the country yet again, leave it."

Shiv Sena President and Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has announced that his three lawmakers in the Rajya Sabha will vote against the Bill. After calling the CAB an attempt to create an "invisible partition" of Hindus and Muslims in its mouthpiece Saamana on Monday, the Shiv Sena supported the legislation in Lok Sabha "in the national interest" later in the day.

However, on Tuesday, Thackeray set pre-condition for supporting the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Rajya Sabha. Asserting that it is BJP's illusion that those who disagree on CAB are deshdrohi (traitors), Thackeray said: "We will not give support to the Bill (Citizenship Amendment Bill) unless things are clear." He added that if any citizen is "afraid of this Bill", then the government must clear their doubts.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 11, 2019 03:50 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).