New Delhi, January 31:  President Ram Nath Kovind on Thursday said that Citizenship Amendment Bill will make it easier to provide Indian citizenship to those who had to take refuge in India after facing oppression somewhere else.

Addressing a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament, the President said: "Citizenship Amendment Bill will make it easier to provide Indian citizenship to those who had to take refuge in India after facing oppression somewhere else. They were not at fault, they were victims of situations like that."The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on January 8, is expected to come up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha in the current session. Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016: Tripura CM Biplab Deb Says Reports of BJP Being Defensive on Issue 'Complete Baseless'.

Meanwhile, protests are underway in the North East and other parts of the country over the Bill. On Tuesday, 10 parties in the North East, including BJP allies, passed a resolution against the Bill alleging that it is “dangerous and harmful for the people of the North East”. Acknowledging the anger and resentment in the region due to the Bill, BJP national general secretary and North East in-charge Ram Madhav has said that the Centre is attempting to break the stalemate. In Assam, the Asom Gana Parishad walked out of its alliance with the BJP over the Bill.