Nationwide NRC needless, has no justification: Bihar CM

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday made it clear that there was no plan to implement NRC (National Register of Citizens) in Bihar. Nitish, who is also the JD (U) national president, and an ally of the BJP-led NDA, had so far refrained from commenting on the contentious issues of Citizenship (Amendment) Act and NRC.

However, on Monday, during a special session of the Bihar Assembly, convened to approve a constitutional amendment for extending reservations to SCs and STs for another ten years, he cleared the air on the row. “Na iski zaroorat hai, na hee koi auchitya hai (Neither there is any need to implement NRC, nor there is any justification for it),” said Nitish, on the floor of the House.

“NRC was an exercise confined to Assam and part of the Assam Accord signed by Rajiv Gandhi. I don’t think there is need for NRC anywhere else in the country. The PM has also made it clear,” said Nitish after Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav asked Nitish why he had not given any official statement on CAA and NRC which has led to turmoil in the entire country.

Nitish agreed with Tejashwi who had earlier demanded for a caste-based census throughout the country and said, “a special session of the House should be convened on this issue.”

“It’s imperative to have a caste-based census throughout the country as such an exercise was carried out way back in 1930. During the 2010 census, a similar demand (for caste-based census) was made but somehow it was not done,” said Nitish asking the Centre to take appropriate steps to carry out a caste based census.

The Bihar CM further said that there was a need for healthy debate over the contentious CAA. “If everyone agrees, we too would like to have a debate over CAA in the Assembly and apprise the Centre accordingly,” said Nitish.