No discussion on nationwide NRC yet, Centre clarifies in Parliament

The government has not taken any decision on bringing a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) yet, the Ministry of Home Affairs has said.

The clarification was given by Minister of Home Affairs (MoS) Nityanand Rai in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. 

"Till now, the government has not taken any decision to prepare National Register of Citizens (NRC) at the national level," Rai said while responding to questions of whether the government has any plans to introduce the NRC all over the country.

This is the first time when the Centre has openly declared on the NRC in Parliament.

In December last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a rally in Delhi had said that there have been no talks about implenting nationwide NRC and the opposition is spreading misinformation on the matter.

"The Congress, its allies, educated Naxalites living in the cities - urban naxals - are spreading rumours that all Muslims will be sent to detention centres. They should value their education. Once read, what is the Citizenship Amendment Act and NRC," Modi said. 

"Rumours of detention centres being spread by Congress and urban naxals is a lie. This is a lie, a lie, a lie," he said.

Days later, Home Minister Amit Shah also asserted that there are no talks about bringing nationwide NRC. Speaking to news agency ANI, Amit Shah said, "There is no need to debate this (pan-India NRC) as there is no discussion on it right now. PM Modi was right and there is no discussion on it yet either in the Cabinet or Parliament."

Protests have erupted across the country against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the proposed NRC.