No mention of NRC in President's speech to the joint session of parliament

This comes as the country is witnessing protests against the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and NRC

The President's address to the joint sitting of Parliament on Friday skipped any reference to National Register of Citizens (NRC), contrary to the speech in June last year when Narendra Modi government assumed power for the second time said the exercise will be conducted on a priority basis in areas affected by infiltration.

While the address lasted one hour and President Ram Nath Kovind lauded the MPs for passing the CAA, he did not mention anything about NRC, which has been opposed by a section of people.

On June 20 last year, the President said, "illegal infiltrators pose a major threat to our internal security. This is leading to social imbalance in many parts of the country, as well as putting a huge pressure on limited livelihood opportunities. My Government has decided to implement the process of 'National Register of Citizens' on priority basis in areas affected by infiltration. Security along the border will be further strengthened to prevent infiltration."

As protests erupted after the passage of CAA, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in December last year that his government has never discussed it since it came to power for the first time in 2014. "Since my government first came to power in 2014, I want to tell 130 crore countrymen, there has never been a discussion on this NRC," Modi said, noting that it was done only in Assam due to a Supreme Court order.

However, this was contested by Opposition parties and activists citing speeches of Home Minister Amit Shah in Parliament as well as during Jharkhand Assembly election campaign. They had also cited responses given by the government regarding the implementation of NRC.