Mumbai, Dec 12 (IANS): The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra welcomed the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) by the Rajya Sabha late on Wednesday evening.

State BJP President Chandrakant Patil termed it as a 'historic day' after the CAB was cleared by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in the past two days.

"Heartiest congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Justice will now be done to thousands of refugees," Patil said.

On the other hand, ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi partner Congress staged a massive protest in Mumbai led by state party President and Minister Balasaheb Thorat to oppose the CAB which was being discussed in the Upper House of the Parliament.

The protest was part of the all-India action organised by the Congress to oppose the CAB, which it termed as 'un-Constitutional', even as it was cleared by both the Houses of the Parliament.

The state unit of Samajwadi Party had also organised similar anti-CAB protests in Mumbai last week, terming the bill as 'discriminatory' to all communities in the country.

"We have organised a protest march at Azad Maidan on December 14. Our demand is that there should be no discrimination among Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, etc., and this Bill should be rejected," said SP state Persident Abu Asim Azmi.