The Jharkhand Janadhikar Mahasabha (JJM), a forum of progressive organisations, on Monday came down heavily on the ‘silence’ of the Hemant Soren government on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register.
“The silence of the Jharkhand government on CAA-NRC-NPR is extremely disappointing. The State looks all set to roll out the NPR survey from April 1, 2020. A government that claims to represent the poor and marginalised cannot remain oblivious to the danger of NPR and NRC for people of the State,” said Bharat Bhushan Choudhury, a lead member of JJM, addressing a press conference in Ranchi.
Mr. Choudhury said, “We were expecting that the Jharkhand government would take a decision like its counterpart in Kerala that they are not in favour of conducting the NPR survey in the State. However, the government has not made any such announcement so far.”
“We demand that the government stop all NPR-related activities and also pass a resolution against the CAA and the NRC in the Assembly,” he said.
In a letter to Jharkhand CM signed by activists, including Jean Dreze, the JJM said, “The main purpose of the NPR is to lay the ground for NRC. The NRC is a wasteful exercise that is bound to lead to exclusion and harassment of large number of people especially poor as has already happened in Assam. It will wreak havoc on the poor of Jharkhand especially tribal, Dalit, Muslim and women. The combination of CAA and NRC could easily become a weapon to reduce many Muslims to second-class citizens.”
Stir threatened
Demanding that the Jharkhand government immediately reject the NPR, the Mahasabha and other people’s organisations have threatened to organise a dharna at Raj Bhawan on March 5.