Support CAA but not NRC: Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik—breaking his silence on the contentious Citizenship Act—clarifying his party's stand on CAA said the Citizenship (Amendment) Act does not affect Indian citizens and the BJD is not in favour of the all-India exercise of the National Register of Citizen (NRC).

The chief minister, elucidating as to why BJD had backed CAA in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, on Wednesday said: "The CAA has nothing to do with Indian citizens. It only deals with foreigners. BJD MPs in Lok Sabha and in the Rajya Sabha have made it clear that we do not support the NRC."

Speaking to the media, before the chief minister left for Delhi, to attend the second meeting of the committee for the commemoration of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in the national capital on Thursday, Patnaik added: "We appeal to our citizens, let peace prevail and not to indulge in rumour-mongering."