Nitish threatens ''Satyagraha'' against IC system in Delhi

Patna, Jan 07 (UNI) Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today warned that people of Bihar will launch ''Satyagraha Movement'' against the Delhi government's decision of making Photo Identity Cards(PIC) mandatory for every citizen , if it was not withdrawn immediately.

'' Despite being the Chief Minister, I will not hesitate to lead the Satyagraha movement,'', Mr Kumar iterated saying the decision of Delhi government was in contravention with the provision of the Constitution, granting rights to people for earning livelihood in any part of the country without facing discrimination.

After Janta Darbar, Mr Kumar told reporters at his residence here that the Delhi government's decision making it mandatory for every citizen in the state to carry PIC from January 15 would create hinderance for those from other parts of the country, earning their livelihood in Delhi.

'' Thousands of people from Bihar are living in Delhi and they have contributed a lot in development of that state,'' he said adding it would not be possible to provide PIC to every citizen in the state. Even registration of birth and death was not being done properly and how could PICs be made available to all citizens, he wondered.

''The insistence on PIC issued by the government would hit the poor, the illiterate, the migrants and daily wage earner the most'', Mr Kumar said and maintained that the issue of cards and their checking raises serious concern about human rights and personal liberties.

''Failure of the police and intelligence fronts are being covered up in the name of security and there is an attempt to turn Delhi into a police state'', he said.

''If the Government of India takes a decision to provide Identity Cards and makes it mandatory for every one in the country, it would be a different one and be welcomed by all'', Mr Kumar maintained adding the decision of the Delhi government was confined to that state only and it would not be tolerated.

''The citizen card at national level would be in accordance with the constituion and it would be obligatory for the government to make it available to all citizens,'' he mainained and added barring Jammu and Kashmir which enjoys special status in constituion, no other state has the right to issue such directive.

UNI KKS KK DB1659