‘Several minority groups came to me and requested that I make a statement on NRC. I told them clearly that the State government will not support it’

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has categorically stated that the State government would not support the proposed implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Addressing a meeting at Kadapa where he laid foundation stones for several projects on Monday, Mr. Jagan said that his Cabinet colleague, Deputy Chief Minister Amzath Basha Shaik Bepari, a minority leader, had consulted him before publicly opposing the NRC. The government would stick to the stand and oppose (implementation of) the NRC.

“I was asked by my minority brothers to make a statement on the NRC. I want to make it clear we would oppose the NRC and there is no way Andhra Pradesh would support it,” the CM said.

It may be recalled that a couple of days ago, Mr. Basha had said the government would not support the NRC or any bill that is against the interests of Muslims. The party has always supported and stood for the interests of minority communities, he said.

Mr. Jagan’s YSR Congress, however, has supported the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The YSR Congress MPs had backed the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Subsequently, All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi in Hyderabad, requested Mr. Jagan to reconsider his decision on supporting the NRC.