India’s Supreme Court says it will take up a petitions against a new citizenship law next month, as anger against it grows.The court told the federal government to prepare a response to the petitions.
The decision came as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi reacted with defiance to widespread protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
The law offers citizenship to non-Muslims from three neighbouring countries. Adding to the fears is a government announcement that it plans to carry out a widespread exercise to weed out “infiltrators” from neighbouring countries.
However, Mr Modi said the law “will have no effect on citizens of India, including Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains, Christians and Buddhists”.