No need for NRC in Bihar, ready for debate on CAA: Nitish Kumar

"I think there is no logic behind the NRC all over India. We are ready to have a discussion over all issues including the NRC and CAA in the house," he said.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar (File Photo | PTI)

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar categorically ruled out nationwide implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Monday, saying it had no “justification”.

Speaking during a one-day special session of the legislative assembly, Kumar, while thanking the members for supporting the extension of reservation for SC and ST communities for the next 10 years, said: “The NRC was brought in the context of Assam only. I don’t see any justification for its nationwide implementation. The Prime Minister has already made his stance clear on it.”

He, however, added, “We are ready for discussions on whatever information has been sought through the NPR, while advocating a caste census, which he said had not been done since 1930.

Asked by the leader of Opposition Tejashawi Yadav to come out with an official statement on the NRC, the CAA and the NPR, Kumar said: “A nationwide NRC, I think, would be needles. I reiterate, there is no justification for it. We did not even have any inkling that an NRC would be proposed for the whole country.”

Nitish’s statement came a day after JD(U) national vice- president Prashant Kishor asserted that NRC would not be implemented in Bihar. On Sunday, Kishor also tweeted to thank Congress leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi for their unequivocal rejection of NRC, CAA and NPR.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Nand Kishore Yadav said the people will expose those in the opposition trying to instigate them against the said legislative measures.

Hitting out at Tejashawi, BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said the Centre had not yet taken any initiative on the NRC but “Twitter-boy is raising illogical hue and cry...to befool the Muslims”.

‘Oppn unity’ exposed: BJP takes a dig at absence of major parties   

NEW DELHI: Claiming that the opposition’s resolution would delight Pakistan, Union minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the absence of “major political parties” except the Congress had exposed ‘opposition unity’.  

“Parties like BSP, SP, Trinamool and AAP didn’t attend the meeting. The claims of the so called Opposition unity have gone in thin air,” he said.

Accusing the Congress of stoking violence against the CAA Prasad said, “The Congress has shown the desperation to go to any length to oppose PM Modi. The Congress now stands with the urban Maoists and divisive forces. It’s our direct allegation that the Congress is encouraging violent protests against CAA.”