Afederal US commission on international religious freedom has claimed that theCitizenship (Amendment) Bill is a "dangerous turn in wrong direction"and sought American sanctions against Home Minister Amit Shah if the bill ispassed by both houses of Parliament.

Ina statement issued on Monday, the US Commission for International ReligiousFreedom or USCIRF said that it was deeply troubled over the passage of the billin Lok Sabha.

"Ifthe CAB passes in both houses of Parliament, the US government should considersanctions against the Home Minister Amit Shah and other principalleadership," the commission suggested.

"USCIRFis 'deeply troubled' by the passage of the CAB, originally introduced by HomeMinister Shah, in the Lok Sabha given the religion criterion in the bill,"it added.

MrShah while introducing the bill had made it clear that people belonging to anyreligion should not have any fear under Prime Minister Narendra Modi'sgovernment as he asserted that the bill will give relief to those minoritieswho have been living a painful life after facing persecution in neighbouringcountries.

The Bill was passed around midnight last in Lok Sabha. The Bill will be introduced and passed at Rajya Sabha tomorrow.