Bill to bar foreigners tabled
Tribune News Service and agencies

NEW DELHI, Dec 3 — A private member’s Constitution amendment Bill seeking to make only "natural born citizens" of India eligible to hold high posts like that of the President, Vice-President and the Prime Minister, was introduced in the Lok Sabha today.

The Bill seeking to substitute the word "citizen" by "natural born citizens" in Articles 58, 66 and 75 was introduced by the BJP member from Maharashtra, Mr Kirit Somaiya.

Opposing the introduction of the Bill, the Congress MP from Chandigarh, Mr Pawan Bansal said all Bills seeking to change the basic character of the Constitution had to be cleared by the Parliamentary Committee on Private Members Bills and Resolutions.

There were heated exchanges between the Opposition and treasury benches with BJP members demanding a full discussion on the issues raised in the Bill and Congress saying the objects and reasons to bring about such a legislation reflected the BJP’s paranoia and was beyond the legislative competence of the House.

Later, speaking to newspersons the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee said the issue on "foreign origin" formed part of the National Democratic Alliance’s poll manifesto and every member had a right to introduce any legislation on any issue.

Mr Vajpayee said he had not seen the Bill but added that every member has a right to move a Bill on any issue.

In the midst of the din in the Lok Sabha, the Congress Chief Whip, Mr Priyaranjan Dasmunshi, objecting to the Bill’s provisions, shouted, "I was born in East Pakistan. But I am in this House today." IUML leader Mr G.M. Banatwalla said, "Even Abul Kalam Azad was born in Mecca, but he became the Education Minister of India."

Mr Dasmunshi said the Bill "touched the fundamental rights of the Constitution and affected its very basic core" and it could not be introduced as it went against Article 19, which granted equal status to all citizens.

Stating that this issue was not thought of when the Constitution was framed, Mr Somaiya said the term "natural born citizen" had been defined in the American Constitution and read out parts of it, while his party colleague, Mr M.A.K. Swain, demanded full-scale discussion on the issue.

The Deputy Speaker rose twice to stop members from continuing their wordy duel and finally put the question before the House.

After taking sense of the House through a voice vote, he ruled that the Bill be permitted to be introduced.