New Delhi: It won’t happen, because the people won’t allow it. That is Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra‘s argument and she made it forcefully in Lucknow on Monday talking about the National Register of Citizenship.

“The NRC is not a valid certificate of citizenship. The NRC has no relationship with valid citizenship certificate. Chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states have said that it will not be implemented in their states,” she said. “You have seen that other parties have also made similar announcements. So, this cannot be implemented as people will not allow its implementation,” she added.

Congress General Secretary says NRC won’t happen because people don’t want it. Photo credit: Rediff.com

Referring to the action being taken against those allegedly involved in vandalism during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Congress leader said first those who indulged in violence should be identified. “Without a probe, how can you take action?” she said.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also hit out at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying there is no place for violence or “revenge” in the country She was referring to Adityanath”s earlier warning that rioters damaging public property will have to pay. She said saffron denotes Hinduism, a religion that does not advocate violence or “revenge”.

Concluding her four-day visit to Lucknow days after statewide violent clashes over the Citizenship Amendment Act, she told mediapersons that her own security was not a big issue. “The question of my security is not a big one. It is a small question on which there is no need to hold any discussion. I will not raise the issue of security because it is a trivial matter. It has nothing to do with the public,” she said, in an apparent reference to her alleged manhandling by the state police. “The issue is the safety of common man in UP,” she said.

“This is the country of Lord Krishna – who was the symbol of compassion. Lord Ram was symbol of compassion. Everybody dances in the marriage procession (baraat) of Lord Shiva. There is no place for ”hinsaa” (violence), ”badlaa” (revenge) and ”ranj” (anger) in the country”s soul. When Krishna gave a sermon to Arjun during the Mahabharat war, he did not talk about revenge or anger to the great warrior on the battlefield. He only brought out the feelings of compassion and truth,” she said.

Releasing copies of a 14-page memorandum submitted to Governor Anandiben Patel, she said there is ample proof in the document on how the police and the administration indulged in wrongdoing and vandalism. The memorandum claimed a total of 23 deaths occurred in the state in the alleged police excesses during the anti-CAA protests by people, while the UP government claims 19 deaths in the clashes.
There is also a video of police vandalism, policemen beating up a minor in Kanpur, she said, referring to the contents of memorandum.
“There were numerous examples where it can be seen that the police and administration acted on the chief minister’s statement that he will take revenge,’ she said.

Quoting from the memorandum, the Congress leader said the conduct of the UP police has been “patently unlawful, destructive of the rule of law and repressive of honest citizens”.