True citizen of India shouldn't oppose nationwide NRC: Rameswar Teli

While senior leaders of the ruling BJP, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, have been making contradictory statements over the party's stand on nationwide NRC in the face of widespread agitation against the exercise, BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Food Processing Rameswar Teli said a "true citizen" shouldn't oppose the exercise.

New Delhi:Even as the country witnessing widespread protests against the Centre's intention to produce a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC), coupled with the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), BJP leader and Union Minister of State for Food Processing Rameswar Teli said a "true citizen" shouldn't oppose the exercise.

"If it (NRC) can happen in Assam, why not in the rest of India? A handful of people are politicising the issue. But if you are a true citizen of this country you shouldn't oppose nationwide NRC," Teli told ETV Bharat.

On BJP leaders giving contradictory statements over the party's stand on nationwide NRC, Teli said, "After the Assam Accord was signed in 1985, NRC was imminent. The process to update the NRC began when the Tarun Gogoi-led Congress government was in power in Assam. But, after a few members from the Muslim community began protesting against the move, the entire exercise was put on hold. It was only after the Supreme Court intervened that the exercise could be completed."

"So, our party had proposed that a nationwide NRC be produced, covering at least 20 percent of the area, to determine if any illegal Bangladeshi migrant has entered the country, but the appeal was rejected by the Supreme Court," said Teli.

When asked if he thinks that AAP is politicising the anti- CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh to gain votes in the assembly polls, Teli said, " Of course. AAP has kept the issue alive. I feel that the people sitting and protesting at Shaheen Bagh are unaware of CAA."

"When the CAB was passed in the Rajya Sabha, as many as 10,000 people attempted an attack on my house in Assam. When some of the attackers were caught, police asked them if they knew anything about CAA, the protesters failed to explain the law, " added Teli.

On BJP's prospects in the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls, Teli said, "BJP will definitely come to power in Delhi."