PM's 'no talks on NRC' statement a jumla: JMI student leader

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement that there are no talks of bringing the NRC across the country is like a poll "jumla" (rhetoric) that people will get Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts, Jamia Millia Islamia student leader Asif Iqbal Tanha said here on Sunday.

Tanha, who was at the forefront of the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at the JMI in Delhi last month, appealed to secular parties to also take a firm stand against the National Population Register (NPR).

Tanha was in Ahmedabad along with another student leader Ayesha Renna to take part in a anti-CAA protest organised by "Gujarat Alliance Against CAA NRC NPR (GAACNN)".

The demonstration was held despite the police denying permission to organisers.

"Today, the entire country is standing up against the CAA, an anti-Muslim Act which treats Muslims as the second class citizens. We are secular and peace-loving people. We oppose this Act," Tanha told reporters.

He said while secular parties are on the same page on the CAA and NCR, but they need to take a firm stand on the NPR "which is the first step towards NRC".

Referring to PM Modi's NRC statement at the December 22 rally in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan, Tanha said, "Has the Central government been able to satisfy the people of the country? Have the people received Rs 15 lakh in their bank accounts? It (the statement on the NRC) is a 'jumla'. It's a lie".

He said Union Home Minister Amit Shah and PM Modi had made "contradictory" statements on the NRC.

"While Amit Shah says there will be a pan-India NRC, PM Modiji says there will be no such NRC. You have made mockery of this country. Your arguments are contradictory. We never seen such a liar prime minister," Tanha said.

He said students are demanding registration of an FIR against police by the JMI administration for the December 15 incident. "...Or else we will force the vice chancellor to resign," he added.

Meanwhile, Renna said she, Tanha and other students of the JMI have been visiting different parts of the country to mobilise the people to come out against the controversial CAA.

The students and members of civil society will visit different parts of Ahmedabad and address gatherings against CAA, NRC and NPR.