Don't want to speak about NRC now: Goa CM

Panaji, Dec 23 (IANS) Claiming that his statement on Sunday on the National Register of Citizens (NRC) issue was misinterpreted, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Monday that it was inappropriate to comment on the controversy-prone NRC, because the Central government had issued no notification on the issue.Speaking to reporters here, Sawant, who had on Sunday said that NRC may "not be required" in Goa at all, now said that he would not speak about NRC until a formal notification is issued by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre."Many persons have interpreted my statement to the press on Citizenship (Amendment) Act and NRC on Sunday. I want to clarify that the whole of Goa and the Goa government welcomes the CAA which was passed by the Central government. No one in Goa will face any ill-effect because of CAA. As Chief Minister, I can confidently say that whether it is Hindus, Muslims, Christian brothers or native Goans, no one will face any problem," Sawant said in his clarification."I want to clarify about the statement which is circulating in a wrong manner about NRC. There is no notification from the Central government about NRC. And therefore I have said that there is no question of implementing it. Until the Central government issues a notification, it is not appropriate to talk about it," Sawant said."I do not want to speak about NRC now," he further said.On Sunday, when reporters had asked Sawant on the sidelines of a function if NRC would be implemented in Goa, the Chief Minister had said that it may "not be required at all".
--IANS maya/arm