Won't sign NRC document, time to oppose black angrez: Baghel

Lashing out at the BJP-led government at the Centre over the new Citizenship Act and the proposed NRC, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday accused the saffron party of polarising the society and dividing people in a bid to remain in power.

The Congress CM, who completed one year in office on Tuesday, said if the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is implemented, as announced by the Narendra Modi government, he will be the first person to not sign the document, and called for opposing black angrez, an apparent reference to the BJP.

The proposed NRC is supposed to document bonafide Indian citizens and identify illegal immigrants.

Addressing Congress workers at Rajiv Bhavan, the partys state headquarters here, Baghel highlighted the achievements of his government over the last one year and came down heavily on the Centre on several issues.

They (BJP) have done nothing except to provoke, mislead and divide the people. Today the entire country is on the boil over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

"Students are being thrashed in various parts of the country, including in the national capital, and an atmosphere of fear is being created. Their ultimate aim is to remain in power by polarising the society," the chief minister said.

He said the Modi government has failed on all fronts and whatever step it has taken - be it demonetisation, GST (Goods and Services Tax) or CAA - has proved to be a failure.

They (Centre) robbed pockets of common men by implementing demonetisation and destroyed scores of businesses by bringing in the GST.

"They are yet to inform the country how the Pulwama terror attack on security forces had occurred (in February this year), Baghel said.

He criticised the NDA government over the enactment of the CAA, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

Now, they have brought the Citizenship Act that has resulted in unrest in various parts of the country. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is saying now they will implement the NRC following which everyone has to prove their nationality.

"I want to ask him if some countrymen don't have certain documents and their forefathers were illiterate, then how will they prove their citizenship?
"The discussions concluded that the menace can be wiped out by winning the trust of local people (villagers and tribals) and undertaking development works."