Pan-India NRC Never On The Table: PM

Modi contradicts Amit Shah’s statement in LS, accuses Congress and ‘urban Naxals’ of spreading lies

In a twist to the raging controversy over the National Register of Citizens, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Sunday that there had been no discussion, no talk on an NRC for India since his government had taken power in 2014.

Mr. Modi’s comments fly in the face of Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement in the Lok Sabha on December 9: “We are very clear that NRC will happen in this country.”

Mr. Shah also said in the House, “Magar maan ke chaliye ki NRC aane wala hai” [but accept that there will be an NRC].

‘In line with SC order’

Addressing a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan to kick off the BJP’s campaign for the Delhi Assembly election, Mr. Modi, however, said the NRC was conducted only in Assam in line with the Supreme Court’s order.

He attacked the Congress and “urban Naxals” for spreading “lies and rumours” about the NRC, the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and detention centres for Muslims, and followed it up with an appeal to the youth to both read and read up on the NRC and the CAA.