India has said the statement made by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, USCIRF on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is neither accurate nor warranted. In response to queries regarding comments made by USCIRF on the Bill, External Affars Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said it is regrettable that the body has chosen to be guided by its prejudices and biases on a matter on which it has little knowledge and no locus standi.<br />''<br />''Mr Kumar said the Bill provides expedited consideration for Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities already in India from certain contiguous countries. He said it seeks to address their current difficulties and meet their basic human rights and such an initiative should be welcomed, not criticized by those who are genuinely committed to religious freedom.<br />''<br />''Mr Kumar added that the Citizenship Amendment Bill does not affect the existing avenues available to all communities interested in seeking citizenship from doing so. He pointed out that the recent record of granting such citizenship would bear out the Government's objectivity in that regard.<br />''<span style="color: #222222;"><br />''The spokesperson further stated that neither the Bill nor the National Register of Citizens process seeks to strip citizenship from any Indian citizen of any faith. He said suggestions to that effect are motivated and unjustified.  He stated that every nation, including the United States, has the right to enumerate and validate its citizenry, and to exercise this prerogative through various policies.</span><br />