Mangaluru : Former minister and MLA U T Khader has opposed the state government’s move to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

He told reporters in Mangaluru on Wednesday that the state government should focus on development instead of electoral politics. “Deliberations on the issue are essential. We do not want Karnataka to be like the north Indian states that are facing violence in the name of CAA. There is no clarity on NRC and we are worried about the hidden agenda of the Union government, “ said Khader, urging the Union government to follow the Vajpayee model of development.

“During the last 60 years, the Congress government had ensured peace in the bordering states and the BJP government has destroyed it during the last six years in power.

Implementation of an act without providing clarity is dangerous,” he said.

He advised the state government to ensure that the violence recorded in north Indian states is not replicated in Karnataka. “The state home minister has said that NRC will be implemented in the state, this could lead to panic and fear among the people,” he said.

He said, “We will not compromise on the security of the nation but at the same time, we do not want the act to spread fear among the people. We oppose implementation of the act in Karnataka.”