PM Modi had made the remark as he launched a strong defence of the NPR saying the country’s population register was being updated with demographic information for better targeting of government’s welfare schemes. (RSTV screengrab)
In a rare move, a word from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech in Rajya Sabha on Thursday were expunged from official records, a statement issued by the Upper House Secretariat said.
Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu expunged the word used by the prime minister during his reply to the discussion on a motion thanking the President for his address to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament at the start of the Budget session.
“Chairman was pleased to direct expunction of a certain portion of the proceedings of Rajya Sabha dated February 6 at about 6.20 and 6.30 pm,” a statement issued by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat said.
Naidu routinely expunges any remark found unsuitable from the official records after going through the proceedings of the day. This has been done on several occasions but rarely was any remark of Modi expunged, news agency PTI reported.
Throwing his weight behind the National Population Register (NPR) exercise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his speech said that it was being updated to allow the rightful beneficiaries get the benefit of government welfare schemes.
“Dont try to mislead people. They (Opposition) are opposing (NPR) for narrow and frivolous political narrative. This is anti-poor,” Modi said in his speech.
He also remarked on the ongoing anti-CAA protest saying that “anarchy” was being spread in the name of protest in many parts of country. “The violence that happened was dubbed as right to agitation. Repeatedly, the Constitution was invoked. In its name, attempts are being made to cover up undemocratic activity,” Modi said.
He also said the Opposition is building narratives keeping only the vote bank in mind.
Naidu also expunged a word from Leader of the Opposition and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad’s statement made after Modi had finished his speech.
Azad had stated that the Congress was in favour of giving citizenship to persecuted migrants from Pakistan but was against framing of a law based on religion.