Even BJP-Backed Governments Against Citizens' Register: Sachin Pilot

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot on Thursday hit out at the BJP-led Central government over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) and asked why would any state implement the new law when BJP's own allies were not willing to do so.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who is in alliance with the BJP, had last week said that NRC will not be implemented in the state.

"When BJP supported governments themselves are not implementing it then how can do it? We have already clarified that it's not going to be implemented in Rajasthan," Mr Pilot said.

In an apparent reference to BJP's defeat in the recently-concluded Jharkhand assembly elections, Mr Pilot said the people of the country have shown a mirror to the BJP.

"The incoming results are clearly stating that things are changing," he added.

Last week, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had also said that BJP's partners like Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik have refused to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in their respective states.

Several other state governments across the country have also decided not to implement the National Register of Citizens and Citizenship Amendment Act.

Mr Pilot's comment comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah said there are no plans to implement the NRC across the country yet.