NRC not a threat to citizenship of Indians: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi

Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Tuesday while interacting with the public at a ‘Jan Chaupal’ in Rampur said that there should not be an atmosphere of "confusion or fear" over the National Register of Citizens (NRC) as it does not pose a threat to the citizenship of Indians. He also said that people will get several opportunities to prove their citizenship.  

The Union Minister of Minority Affairs, during the interaction, said that it is unfortunate that some individuals with vested interests are trying to create an atmosphere of "confusion, fear and panic" over the NRC issue. He also added, "We should remain cautious of the conspiracy of such elements." He also said that the Modi government's intention is to identify illegal immigrants.

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'It cannot be ignored now'

Naqvi further said that the issue of immigration has been there for a long time and that people have been against the infiltration of foreigners for a long time. He also added that it can’t be ignored now and that the rights of the citizens should be protected at all costs. The Minister also said that the NRC process is not new and has been going on under the guidance of the Supreme Court from 2013.

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Talking about NRC in Assam, the only state in the country where the exercise was carried out to update the NRC, names of over 19 lakh people were omitted from the final list which was published on August 31. BJP leaders have also indicated that the NRC could be carried out in other states such as Karnataka and Haryana. 

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Naqvi, while talking about the issue, also said that there should not be any "communal politics" over the NRC issue. He said that the Modi government considers the NRC issue purely as a matter related to national security and national interest and the government has been working towards development, empowerment and national security with complete honesty. He said, "Our government is moving forward with the commitment to inclusive growth and development without discrimination.”

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(With PTI Inputs)