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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has defended the Janata Dal (United)’s decision to vote against the citizenship bill in the Rajya Sabha. JD(U) is an ally of the BJP in Bihar.
“When the issue of citizenship bill cropped up, we took the view that the identity of Assamese people must not come under any sort of attack. We expressed our views to the Union Home Ministry and the BJP leadership as well,” Kumar, who is also the JDU president, told reporters here on the sidelines of his weekly public-interaction programme, ‘Lok Samvad’.
“I do not think it’s going to cause any problems in our alliance with the BJP. We have been allies for long, but maintained our independent stand on a number of issues. The AGP (Asom Gana Parishad), too, had sought our support on this issue.
The BJP, being in power in Assam and at the Centre, is empowered to take a final call… but, we are free to voice our differences,” Kumar added.
