Akhilesh cannot contest polls if he defies NPR: Sanjeev Baliyan

Saharanpur (Uttar Pradesh):Union minister Sanjeev Baliyan has said that Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav will not be allowed to contest elections if he does not follow the National Population Register (NPR) procedure.

The SP president had said that he will defy NPR by not filling the requisite forms.

Baliyan, who was in Saharanpur to garner support for the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Saturday, said, "False rumours are being spread about NPR. Is India a 'dharamshala' where there will be no record of people coming, going or willing to stay? Is there a problem? Akhilesh Yadav says he will not register for NPR. Other opposition leaders have also been claiming the same. You will not be allowed to contest elections if you do not register."

The minister further said, "There is a rule of law in Modi and Yogi raj. People trying to create menace will be treated accordingly."

He said that this time, the Samajwadi Party government will not get away as they did in the Muzaffarnagar riots in 2013 and the Saharanpur violence in 2014-15.

"Anyone trying to create anarchy will face consequences," he added.

Earlier, Muzaffarnagar BJP MLA Vikram Saini had created a controversy when he said that Pakistan should also make laws and give citizenship to all those Muslims who are feeling persecuted in India.

"The CAA and NRC are in favour of the country. Hindus and Sikhs are facing persecution in Pakistan for decades now, and we are providing shelter to them. I would like to say that Pakistan should also enact such a law for the Muslims," Saini had said.