Janata Dal United (JDU) Vice President, Prashant Kishor on Sunday voiced his criticism over NRC stating that it leaves lakhs of people as foreigners in their own country. The criticism was fiercely responded by party’s senior leader Ajay Alok on Monday stating that no one is stopping people from proving their residency. 

Prashant Kishor's disappointment over NRC

Dismissing the NRC as ‘botched up’ Kishor expressed his disappointment in his tweet saying that people are paying the price of political posturing and rhetoric being misconstrued as a solution without giving a thought to strategic and systemic challenges. 

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Ajay Alok's retaliation

Alok’s response came as a fierce retaliation, questioning Kishor whether the 70 years of governance was systemic and strategic, further taking a dig at Kishor and Mamata Banerjee's irresponsible approach over illegal immigrants.  

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Alok further highlighted the fact that illegal immigrants have become voters in various places across Bihar.

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What is the NRC?

The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is aimed at segregating Indian citizens living in Assam from those who had illegally entered the state from Bangladesh after 1971. The final NRC was declared on August 31, witnessing the exclusion of over 19 lakh people, while 3.11 crore people found their names included in the list. While the list is not a proof of citizenship, the Government has granted 120 days to everyone whose names were not included to reapply and defend their case. People excluded from NRC will now have to appeal to the foreign tribunal within the stipulated time frame.  

Government deployed fifty-one companies of the Central Armed Paramilitary Force (CAPF) in various parts of the state. Section 144 was enforced in the Assam Secretariat and Assembly complexes located at Dispur to prevent any untoward violence over the NRC row.

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