Andhra Pradesh Assembly Passes Resolution Against New NPR Form
AMRAVATI (AP): Even as protests have been going on across the country against the National Population Register (NPR), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Centre’s controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Andhra Pradesh government has decided to carry out National Population Register (NPR) updation exercise between April and September this year.
The Andhra Pradesh government will pass a resolution in the the state assembly, requesting that the Centre maintain the National Population Register (NPR) as it existed in the year 2010.
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to spell out the YSR Congress’ stand on the NPR issue.
“Some of the questions proposed in the NPR are causing insecurities in the minds of minorities of my state. After elaborate consultations within our party, we have decided to request the Central Government to revert the conditions to those prevailing in 2010,” the chief minister said in the first tweet.
The Government Order (GO) issued by Principal Secretary Shashi Bhushan Kumar to all District Collectors, Principal Census Officers and Municipal Commissioners, stated that the NPR exercise had to be carried out for a period of 45 days as part of the Census of India 2021.
In view of a number of apprehensions and doubts being expressed in various quarters with respect to the conduct of NPR exercise it has been clarified that no document is required to be submitted. Enumerators have been asked to just record whatever answers are given by the people and not to press for any further answers to any query if they do not intend to give and also not to ask for any document.
He said people are not required to submit any document to the enumerators during the NPR exercise. “Enumerators are just required to record whatever answers are given by the people and not to press for any further answers to any query if they do not intend to give and also not to ask for any document,” Mr Kumar said in the order.
The GO further stated: “All the officials involved in NPR exercise, from the enumerators onwards, are being trained to the effect that there is no requirement of submission of any document by the people during the NPR exercise nor is there any requirement to insist on answers to any query if people do not intend to answer.” The News Minute reported.
It must be recalled that the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy had said in December last year, that his state would not support the Centre’s National Register of Citizens (NRC). Incidentally, NPR is seen as the basis for NRC.
Congress leader P Chidambaram claimed that NPR is nothing but NRC in disguise. So far West Bengal and Kerala have declared that NPR will not be implemented in the states.
Some of the questions proposed in the NPR are causing insecurities in the minds of minorities of my state. After elaborate consultations within our party, we have decided to request the Central Government to revert the conditions to those prevailing in 2010.
(Bureau REport with Agency Inputs ).
