Implementing nationwide NRC will strain India's relations with neighbouring countries: Deve Gowda

Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Thursday said that if the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is implemented across the country then it will strain India's relations with neighbouring countries.

Speaking to media, Gowda said, "The government is not taking into consideration the consequences of the NRC implementation, they want to implement NRC across the nation. If it gets implemented, it will not only create problems in the country but also strain our relations with neighbouring countries."

"Look at Assam, what has happened there, so there is a need to learn from bitter experiences," he said.

Yesterday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said in Rajya Sabha that all citizens of India irrespective of religion will figure in the NRC list and that NRC is different from the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

"NRC has no such provision which says that certain religions will be excluded from it. All citizens of India irrespective of religion will figure in the NRC list. The NRC is different from Citizenship Amendment Bill," Shah had said while addressing the Rajya Sabha in New Delhi.

"The process of NRC will be carried out across the country. No one, irrespective of religion should be worried, it is just a process to get everyone under the NRC," Shah had added.