The AIADMK government is not inclined to hold an all-party meeting on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar indicated in the Legislative Assembly on Monday.
Replying to DMK president and Leader of the Opposition M.K. Stalin, who urged the State government to call for an all-party meeting to discuss the issue, Mr. Udhayakumar said several litigations were pending before the Supreme Court challenging the CAA. Besides, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, responding to queries raised by the Opposition leaders, had promised to safeguard the interests of the minorities. “Hence, we have to think whether we should have an all-party meeting on the same subject, which has been debated in the House,” Mr. Udhayakumar said. The CAA, NPR and NRC were “sensitive issues” and the Chief Minister has been taking steps to allay the apprehensions of the minorities, he added.
Earlier, soon after the Question Hour in the House, Mr. Stalin referred to a meeting convened by the Chief Secretary and senior bureaucrats and police officers with representatives from various Muslim organisations on March 14 and sought to know further details of the meeting. Mr. Stalin wanted to know the demands made by the representatives and the response given by the State government. He argued that the CAA was not affecting only Muslims but the people, as a whole. He urged the government to convene an all-party meeting to discuss about it.
In his reply, Mr. Udhayakumar said representatives from 49 Muslim organisations participated in the meeting convened by the Chief Secretary in which the Home Secretary, Director General of Police and Chennai Police Commissioner also attended.
Mr. Udhayakumar cited the statements made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the Rajya Sabha that no document was to be submitted during the NPR enumeration.