NEW DELHI: BJP leader and Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar launched a broadside on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his remarks on the National Register for Citizens (NRC), Sunday,
saying the people understand that the exercise is crucial to the country but not the CM.
“The people understand that the exercise is very important. No country can allow illegal infiltrators to stay,” Javadekar said, raking afresh Kejriwal’s statement last month that if the NRC were to be implemented in Delhi, BJP city unit president Manoj Tiwari would have to leave first.
“It’s only the CM who is confused. He has less understanding than people who know how important the NRC exercise is,” he added in a media interaction.
The bill seeks to amend a 1955 law to grant citizenship to Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis and Christians from the Muslim-majority nations of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, if they have lived in India for six years.
The Bill had been passed by the previous Lok Sabha but was not tabled in Rajya Sabha and lapsed after the term of the previous Lok Sabha ended in May and was not introduced in the Budget Session in July.
Javadekar said, AAP’s strategy revolves around taking credit for others work, but warned, that the BJP will get a “huge mandate” in Delhi polls, due early next year.
Asked whether the BJP would name a CM candidate in Delhi, he said it was a matter related to poll strategy.
“It’s state-specific. We have announced the CM face in Maharashtra and Haryana. But in some states, we announce, in others, we opt to hold back as a strategy,” he said.
Asked whether there will be any change in the Delhi unit leadership before the polls, he said, “Our time table for organisational polls is out. Where is this question of replacing (Tiwari)?”