No discussion on NRC a tactical retreat by Modi: Prashant Kishor

Janata Dal-United (JD-U) Vice President and election strategist Prashant Kishor on Thursday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks that "no discussion over NRC" has taken place, saying it was a "tactical retreat" in the face of nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the NRC.

In a tweet, Kishor said, "The claim of 'Abhi to NRC ki koi charhca hi nahi hui hai' (No discussion over NRC has taken place) is nothing but a tactical retreat in the face of nationwide protests against the CAA and the NRC. It is a pause and not the full stop."

"Government could wait till Supreme Court judgement on CAA. A favourable court order and the whole process will be back," Kishor said.

Kishor was referring to the remarks of the Prime Minister during the BJP's rally in Delhi's Ramlila Maidan on December 22 where he said that no discussion over NRC has taken place.

Earlier, Kishor, who has been instrumental in making the then BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi's 'chai pe charcha' campaign a success, also took a dig at former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for not joining the anti-CAA-NRC protests, with whom he worked during the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections in late 2016 and also planned the 'Khat pe charcha'.

Rahul Gandhi had left for an official tour of South Korea on December 16 morning, a day after violent protests by the students of Jamia Millia Islamia.

Earlier, Kishor had also urged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to reconsider his decision to support the CAB (Citizenship Amendment Bill) in the Rajya Sabha. After the JD-U supported the Bill, he again took to Twitter and said: "Disappointed to see JD-U supporting CAB that discriminates right of citizenship on the basis of religion."

"It's incongruous with the party's constitution that carries the word secular thrice on the very first page and the leadership that is supposedly guided by Gandhian ideals."