BJP's 'divisive' ploy: RJD

The Rashtriya Janata Dal has dubbed the notification of the CAA as a “divisive” ploy by the ruling BJP at the Centre, in the run-up to Lok Sabha elections.

RJD spokesman Rishi Mishra also questioned the timing of the notification, which came more than four years after the bill was passed by Parliament.

Mishra told PTI video: “You (BJP) had forgotten about CAA after the bill was passed in 2019. Now, suddenly you remember it with just about a week left for announcement of polls. If there was an urgency, what were you waiting for all these years?”

“It is undoubtedly a divisive trick by the BJP which is wary of facing the elections. Can it seek votes for letting prices of petrol and cooking gas soar? But the ruling party shall realize that voters are smart enough to see through the game,” he said.

Meanwhile, JD(U) MLC Khalid Anwar, whose party is an NDA partner and had voted in favour of the bill, sought to allay misgivings about CAA.

“The CAA is meant to grant citizenship to certain types of people. We would urge the people of Bihar to be on their guard against scaremongering. Nobody can be deprived of citizenship through this Act,” said Anwar, who is a close aide of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

The JD(U) regards all 13 crore people of Bihar as family, he said.

“Nobody needs to feel threatened when we are at the helm of affairs. Some people may have doubts about the legal validity of this Act. Let us wait for the court’s verdict on that,” Anwar said.