PM Modi, Amit Shah Spooked By Protests, So Lying About NRC: Umar Khalid

Activist and former student leader Umar Khalid said in Pune on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah were "lying" about the NRC now as they were scared by nation-wide protests. Khalid was speaking after taking part in a protest march against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens in Pune.

"After seeing the protests across the country, prime minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are lying about the NRC, as they are afraid of people's reactions," he said.

Modi had said recently that there had been no discussion about nation-wide implementation of the NRC. Khalid further said that the amended Citizenship Act should be resisted as freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives had not contemplated a country where religion is the basis of citizenship.

The controversial CAA provides for grant of citizenship to non-Muslim refugees who came to India before December 31, 2014, to escape religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.