Congress MP and former Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh on Thursday said the Madhya Pradesh government would table a proposal against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR) in the upcoming Assembly session beginning March 16.
Stating that the law was brought in to distract public attention from the deteriorating economy and spiralling unemployment, Mr. Singh told reporters in Gwalior that he’d spoken to Chief Minister Kamal Nath about the proposal.
“The Congress Working Committee has already opposed the CAA, the NRC and the NPR nationwide. That’s why even Madhya Pradesh is against it,” he said, while taking part in a rally against the law.
Moreover, he claimed that new questions were added to the NPR update exercise, scheduled in the State from May.
“For instance, the birthplace and date of birth of parents. Whoever is unable to answer such questions will be deemed doubtful,” he said.
On February 5, the State government had passed a resolution calling upon the Centre to abrogate the law, and begin the NPR update only after withdrawing the proposal to add new queries.
However, when a December 9 notification issued by the State government scheduling the NPR update surfaced recently, Congress MLA Arif Masood threatened an agitation if the government went ahead with it.
Quelling apprehensions, Mr. Nath on Monday said the NPR would not be implemented in the State “at present”.
“The notification being talked about was issued on December 9. After this, the Centre implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Therefore the NPR notification has not been issued under the CAA, 2019,” he had said, adding that in any case the notification was issued under rule 3 of the 2003 rules of the Citizenship Act, 1955, and not the new one.
Speaking at the rally, former MP and Janata Dal (United) leader Sharad Yadav said, “The Central government is going against the Constitution by implementing all the three. Not just Muslims, but Dalits, tribals and others from backward communities are being targeted.”
Meanwhile, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said the protests were similar to the non-cooperation movement launched by Mahatma Gandhi against the British.
‘There is misconception’
“There is a misconception that the NPR is like census. Those against whom D (doubtful) would be written, would be included in the NRC. Even under the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre failed at implementing it. That’s why 13 States have taken a stand against it now,” he said.