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Rediff.com  » News » Protests in Bihar over mandatory ID cards for Delhi citizens

Protests in Bihar over mandatory ID cards for Delhi citizens

By Anand Mohan Sahay in Patna
January 05, 2008 21:23 IST
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Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United's students wing members burnt effigies of United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit in protest of the Delhi government's decision to make identity proof for any citizen living in the Capital mandatory from January 15.

JD-U student wing activists also threatened to launch a statewide agitation against the decision. "The decision of Delhi government to make ID proof mandatory will hit thousands of migrant labourers from Bihar going to Delhi in search of livelihood," they said.

They said that most of the migrant labourers from Bihar were from the poorest of the poor section, who do not carry any ID proof. "If they are forced to make ID cards, they will be harassed by the police," they said.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna said the decision to verify the identity of citizens has been taken to step up security in the Capital in the wake of recent terror attacks in various parts of the country. An order has been issued in this regard to the Delhi police, he added.

Checking would be carried out randomly and any individual can be asked to produce identity proof, which could be a photo identity card, ration card, passport or any other valid proof, Khanna said, adding that an adequate publicity campaign would be undertaken in the city in this regard.

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Anand Mohan Sahay in Patna