Mamata Banerjee Asks Non-BJP States to Scrutinise NPR, Raises Pitch Against CAA

Kolkata, January 20: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mamata Banerjee on Monday urged non-BJP governments in different states, especially in North East, to take a cautious view of the National Population Register (NPR) before carrying out the exercise. Mamata Banerjee also asked Opposition-ruled states to pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). NPR 2020: Kerala Cabinet Rules Out National Population Register After Passing Anti-CAA Resolution.

"I will appeal to all North-Eastern states including Tripura, Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal that before taking any decision about NPR, they must see the law properly and I request them not to participate in this," Banerjee said. The West Bengal government did not participate in a recent meeting called by the Ministry of Home Affairs to discuss the upcoming census and NPR exercise. It has also put the NPR process on hold. Why Citizenship Amendment Act+NRC Raise Fear And Concerns: A Multi-Dimensional Take.

During the meeting, Opposition-ruled states reportedly raised objections to the new NPR form that seeks details the date and place of birth of an individual’s parents. According to a report by The Indian Express, objections were raised to Question No. 13 (II) of the NPR form which seeks information on the date and place of birth of an individual’s parents. Besides West Bengal, Kerala and Rajasthan have refused to conduct NPR exercise.

Last month, CPM-ruled Kerala assembly passed a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The Congress government in Punjab followed the suit and passed an anti-CAA resolution. The Kerala government has also moved the Supreme Court against the CAA, seeking to declare it "violative of the principles of equality, freedom and secularism enshrined in the Constitution".

The CAA gives Indian citizenship to six non-Muslim communities fleeing religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) was prepared for in Assam to identify infiltrators. Many believe CAA, NPR and National Register of Citizens or NRC are all connected. They say details collected during the NPR exercise will be used to conduct nationwide NRC.

While non-Muslims left out of the NRC would be able to get citizenship under the CAA, Muslims who could not make the list may be deported or sent to detention centres. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, however, had said no discussion on NRC was ever taken place.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 20, 2020 01:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).