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Antonio Guterres said that the UN is closely analyzing the consequences that might be possible of India’s amended Citizenship Act. He insisted that the world body has its basic principles, including those in the Universal Declaration Human rights, and expect those to be upheld.

According to the Citizenship Amendment Bill(CAB) the Indian citizenship will be given to the non-Muslim communities I.e., Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddist, Parsi and Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 and are facing religious persecution. The bill says that, they will not be treated as illegal immigrants but will be given Indian citizenship.

Rajya sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill or CAB on Wednesday and by Lok Sabha on Monday.

The earlier requirement for the Indian Citizenship to the refugees of the six communities was eleven years which is now reduced to five years.

"We're aware that the lower and upper houses of the Indian Parliament have passed the Citizenship Amendment Bill, and we're also aware of the concerns that have been publicly expressed. The United Nations is closely analysing the possible consequences of the law," Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq said during the daily press briefing on Thursday .

Haq said that he would like to draw the attention that some of the UN human rights mechanisms which includes rapporteurs, “have already been expressing their concerns about the nature of this law, and you can see those from the human rights office.”

Haq said, “we’ll have to see what the nature of our reaction needs to be. Right now, we are in a process of analysing the features of this,” when asked if any statement will be made after the UN completes its analysis of the possible consequences of law.

"And as I mentioned a few days earlier, of course, we have our basic principles, including those enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and expect those to be upheld,” he said.

By Shrithika Kushangi