Will convince parties on NRC when it's ready: BJP

The BJP will convince the BJD and the JD (U), which had come out against NRC, as and when it will be taken up for implementation nationwide, BJP national spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said on Sunday.

Speaking at an interactive session here on Citizenship Amendment Act, the BJP Rajya Sabha member said the BJD and JD (U) have some apprehensions on the National Register of Citizens but both the parties supported the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

They (BJD and JDU) have no reservations as far as this particular Act (CAA) is concerned. They are not saying anything critical of the Act. They are happy and they supported it. Their questions are about the planned NRC about which they have certain apprehensions, he said replying to a query on the stand taken by BJD and JD(U) Certainly, the government of India, whenever the NRC is implemented nationwide, will have an understanding with all political stakeholders and evolve a mechanism that is inclusive, not exclusive. They (BJD and JD (U)) have apprehensions about NRC not about CAA, he said.

On the protests over the CAA, Rao said they were not protests but riots to draw the nations and media attention. If they (the protestors) want to voice their argument through violence, it will not be acceptable. The CAA has nothing to do with the Indian citizens. It is about foreigners, he said.

Slamming the Congress party, he said that in the name of secularism, the party adopted anti-Hindu practices whereas Sabke sath Sabka vikas adopted by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the original secularism.

"You (opposition parties) may oppose us and our policies but at the end you are talking like slaves of Pakistan. This is really painful and insulting, he said.

He said the CAA is about doing justice to people who were denied citizenship for seven-long decades.