No NRC In AP: Jagan Amid Nationwide Anti-CAA Protests

Joining the list of states opposing the proposed implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said his government would support the move under no circumstances.

Parliamentarians of Reddy’s YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) had backed the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

“I was asked by my minority brothers to make a statement on the NRC. I want to make it clear we would oppose the NRC and there is no way Andhra Pradesh would support it,” the chief minister said at an event in Kadapa where he foundation stones for several developmental projects.

Last week, Deputy Chief Minister Azmath Basha Shaik Bepari had said the state would not support the NRC or any bill that is against the interests of Muslims. The party has always supported and stood for the interests of minority communities, he said.

The chief minister said Bepari had consulted him before making the statements and his government would stick to the stand.

“Our deputy Chief Minister, who is also a minority leader, said recently that we will oppose the NRC. He spoke to me before making that statement. I want to make it clear that we would stick to it and oppose (implementation of) the NRC,” Reddy said.

The YSRCP supremo’s statement came at a time when the twin Telugu states of AP and Telangana have been witnessing continued protests against the amended Citizenship Act and proposed nationwide NRC.

A recent rally, led by All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi in Hyderabad, saw a gathering of about 12,000 people. During the rally, Owaisi said the Andhra CM should reconsider his decision on supporting the BJP in the controversial law recently passed by Parliament.

“I request my good friend Jagan Reddy to reconsider his decision on supporting the BJP on the CAA. I know he has to run a government, but this is about saving the country. Only if your country is secure, we can run governments,” said Owaisi.

He also expressed hope that Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao would not go ahead with the National Population Register (NPR) as has been done in Kerala. Rao’s Telangana Rashtra Samithi MPs had opposed the Bill and voted against it Parliament.

Sources says election strategist Prashant Kishor, who had designed Reddy’s successful election campaign, had also been pursuing the latter to commit to non-implementation of the NRC. Earlier, Kishor ensured that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar joined the list of chief ministers in rejecting the NRC.