UPA-era NPR’s emphasis was on ‘residency’, not ‘citizenship’: Chidambaram
Sobhana K. NairNEW DELHI: , DECEMBER 26, 2019 11:35 IST
UPDATED: DECEMBER 26, 2019 21:36 IST
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Congress senior leader and Former Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram addressing a press conference at AICC HQ, in New Delhi on December 05, 2019.
Congress senior leader and Former Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram addressing a press conference at AICC HQ, in New Delhi on December 05, 2019. | Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
He dares BJP government to unequivocally say that they had no intention to link the NRC with the NPR
Former Union Home Minister and Congress MP P. Chidambaram has asserted that the emphasis of the National Population Register (NPR) in 2010 by the UPA government was on “residency” and not “citizenship”.
The BJP on Wednesday released a video clip of the launch of the NPR in 2010, where Mr. Chidambaram says an exercise like this has not been attempted anywhere in the world.
He sought to highlight the differences in the UPA-era NPR and the present version through a series of tweets.
“We were enumerating the ‘usual residents’ of the country. The emphasis is on residency not citizenship,” The NPR was to aid the preparation of the 2011 census, he stated. “Every usual resident was to be enumerated irrespective of his or her religion or place of birth.”
Watch | What's all about NPR?
The most important difference between the two was that there was no mention of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the UPA-era exercise. “The BJP-led government has a larger and more sinister agenda and that is why the NPR approved by them yesterday is very dangerous and different in terms of the TEXT as well as the CONTEXT of NPR 2010,” he said.
Mr. Chidambaram dared the BJP government to unequivocally say that they had no intention to link the NRC with the NPR. He said, “If the BJP’s motives are bona fide, let the government unconditionally state that they support the NPR form and design of 2010 and have no intention of linking it to the controversial NRC.”
Exercise first started in 2003: Maken
At a press conference held in the Congress headquarters, Ajay Maken, who was the Minister of State in Home Affairs in charge of the NPR, said the exercise was first started in 2003 by the first NDA government under Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Twelve States and a Union Territory, with a total population of 31 lakh persons, were picked for a pilot project. When the UPA came to power, the pilot project was on. The idea was finally shelved on the advice of a committee of secretaries.
Mr. Maken said the fundamental difference between the NPR and the NRC was that the population register was only to enumerate “usual residents”, which was defined by the United Nations as anyone who had been living the majority of days, which was a little over six months, at the place of enumeration.
He asserted that the UPA-era NPR would not have led to the NRC unlike what the present government wanted to do. “I am saying again and again that following the NRC is a second step, which we never intended to take,” he said. The 2003 amendment to the Citizenship Act said that the government “may” compulsorily register all citizens. “We never converted into ‘shall’ and we
CITIZENSHIP TANGLE
Modi government not so foolish to penalise crores for not cooperating with NPR exercise: Chidambaram
The Congress leader said all parties fighting against NPR, CAA and NRC must come together.
Modi government not so foolish to penalise crores for not cooperating with NPR exercise: Chidambaram
File photo of Congress leader P Chidambaram. | PTI
Former Union minister P Chidambaram on Saturday expressed hope that the government would not be foolish enough to penalise those do not cooperate with the National Population Register exercise, Hindustan Times reported. The Congress leader, who is on a visit to Kolkata, was responding to a question on whether there were any penalties that may be imposed for not cooperating with the NPR and census exercises.
The population register is linked to the census, due in 2021, and is described as “the first step towards the creation of a National Register of Citizens”. On December 24, the Cabinet approved funds of Rs 3,900 crore to update the population register. The NRC is a proposed nationwide exercise to identify undocumented migrants.
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“I hope not. You will have to penalise crores of people,” Chidambaram said. “I believe the Modi government will not do something so foolish.”
The former finance minister said that the West Bengal government was justified in questioning the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act. The state is also entitled to highlight the reasons for not initiating data collection for the population register in the state, he added.
“The state is also entitled to cite law and order situation, widespread opposition among people, the reluctance of state government employees engaged in the exercise and the problems they will encounter at households who do not respond and shut the door,” he added.
The Congress leader described NPR as “nothing but NRC in disguise”. He said that his party’s purpose was to fight the Citizenship Amendment Act and the NPR and “mobilise public opinion against them”, PTI reported. Chidambaram asserted that the party’s stand was that it will not agree to the data collection for the population register.
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“We are fighting against NRC and CAA. Sometimes together, sometimes differently,” he said. “The important thing is that we are fighting. All parties fighting against NPR, CAA and NRC must come together and I am confident they will.”
On January 13, Chidambaram had suggested that Modi should select and confront five critics of the amended citizenship law. He had claimed that the only way to clear the public’s doubts on the legislation was to televise a discussion between the prime minister and his critics.
The Citizenship Amendment Act, notified on January 10, provides citizenship to refugees from six minority religious communities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, provided they have lived in India for six years and entered the country by December 31, 2014. The Act has been widely criticised and sparked protests for excluding Muslims. At least 26 people died in protests against the legislation last month.
Support our journalism by subscribing to Scroll+. We welcome your comments at letters@scroll.in.
P ChidambaramNPR
After Assam NRC fiasco, Modi govt changed gears to talk of NPR: Chidambaram
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Chidambaram said that NPR is "nothing but NRC in disguise".
Press Trust of India | Kolkata
Last Updated at January 18, 2020 15:59 IST
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18
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram arrives at his residence in New Delhi after being released from Tihar Prisons on December 4, 2019.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram arrives at his residence in New Delhi
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Congress leader and former home minister P Chidambaram said on Saturday that after the "Assam NRC fiasco", the Narendra Modi government has quickly "changed gears" and is now talking of NPR.
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Chidambaram said that NPR is "nothing but NRC in disguise".
"Our purpose is to fight the sinister purpose of Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Population of Register (NPR) and mobilise public opinion against them.
"Our stated position is that we will not agree to NPR being rolled out from April 2020," he said.
The Congress leader said, the Constitutional validity of CAA lies with the Supreme Court.
"We are fighting against NRC and CAA. Sometimes together, sometimes differently. The important thing is that we are fighting.
"All parties fighting against NPR, CAA and NRC must come together and I am confident they will," he said.
He said that the BJP had failed to gauge the strength of the opposition and thought it as a 'passing cloud'.
Sobhana K. NairNEW DELHI: , DECEMBER 26, 2019 11:35 IST
UPDATED: DECEMBER 26, 2019 21:36 IST
SHARE ARTICLE 16PRINTA A A
Congress senior leader and Former Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram addressing a press conference at AICC HQ, in New Delhi on December 05, 2019.
Congress senior leader and Former Union Finance Minister, P. Chidambaram addressing a press conference at AICC HQ, in New Delhi on December 05, 2019. | Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar
He dares BJP government to unequivocally say that they had no intention to link the NRC with the NPR
Former Union Home Minister and Congress MP P. Chidambaram has asserted that the emphasis of the National Population Register (NPR) in 2010 by the UPA government was on “residency” and not “citizenship”.
The BJP on Wednesday released a video clip of the launch of the NPR in 2010, where Mr. Chidambaram says an exercise like this has not been attempted anywhere in the world.
He sought to highlight the differences in the UPA-era NPR and the present version through a series of tweets.
“We were enumerating the ‘usual residents’ of the country. The emphasis is on residency not citizenship,” The NPR was to aid the preparation of the 2011 census, he stated. “Every usual resident was to be enumerated irrespective of his or her religion or place of birth.”
Watch | What's all about NPR?
The most important difference between the two was that there was no mention of National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the UPA-era exercise. “The BJP-led government has a larger and more sinister agenda and that is why the NPR approved by them yesterday is very dangerous and different in terms of the TEXT as well as the CONTEXT of NPR 2010,” he said.
Mr. Chidambaram dared the BJP government to unequivocally say that they had no intention to link the NRC with the NPR. He said, “If the BJP’s motives are bona fide, let the government unconditionally state that they support the NPR form and design of 2010 and have no intention of linking it to the controversial NRC.”
Exercise first started in 2003: Maken
At a press conference held in the Congress headquarters, Ajay Maken, who was the Minister of State in Home Affairs in charge of the NPR, said the exercise was first started in 2003 by the first NDA government under Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Twelve States and a Union Territory, with a total population of 31 lakh persons, were picked for a pilot project. When the UPA came to power, the pilot project was on. The idea was finally shelved on the advice of a committee of secretaries.
Mr. Maken said the fundamental difference between the NPR and the NRC was that the population register was only to enumerate “usual residents”, which was defined by the United Nations as anyone who had been living the majority of days, which was a little over six months, at the place of enumeration.
He asserted that the UPA-era NPR would not have led to the NRC unlike what the present government wanted to do. “I am saying again and again that following the NRC is a second step, which we never intended to take,” he said. The 2003 amendment to the Citizenship Act said that the government “may” compulsorily register all citizens. “We never converted into ‘shall’ and we
CITIZENSHIP TANGLE
Modi government not so foolish to penalise crores for not cooperating with NPR exercise: Chidambaram
The Congress leader said all parties fighting against NPR, CAA and NRC must come together.
Modi government not so foolish to penalise crores for not cooperating with NPR exercise: Chidambaram
File photo of Congress leader P Chidambaram. | PTI
Former Union minister P Chidambaram on Saturday expressed hope that the government would not be foolish enough to penalise those do not cooperate with the National Population Register exercise, Hindustan Times reported. The Congress leader, who is on a visit to Kolkata, was responding to a question on whether there were any penalties that may be imposed for not cooperating with the NPR and census exercises.
The population register is linked to the census, due in 2021, and is described as “the first step towards the creation of a National Register of Citizens”. On December 24, the Cabinet approved funds of Rs 3,900 crore to update the population register. The NRC is a proposed nationwide exercise to identify undocumented migrants.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I hope not. You will have to penalise crores of people,” Chidambaram said. “I believe the Modi government will not do something so foolish.”
The former finance minister said that the West Bengal government was justified in questioning the constitutional validity of the Citizenship Amendment Act. The state is also entitled to highlight the reasons for not initiating data collection for the population register in the state, he added.
“The state is also entitled to cite law and order situation, widespread opposition among people, the reluctance of state government employees engaged in the exercise and the problems they will encounter at households who do not respond and shut the door,” he added.
The Congress leader described NPR as “nothing but NRC in disguise”. He said that his party’s purpose was to fight the Citizenship Amendment Act and the NPR and “mobilise public opinion against them”, PTI reported. Chidambaram asserted that the party’s stand was that it will not agree to the data collection for the population register.
ADVERTISEMENT
“We are fighting against NRC and CAA. Sometimes together, sometimes differently,” he said. “The important thing is that we are fighting. All parties fighting against NPR, CAA and NRC must come together and I am confident they will.”
On January 13, Chidambaram had suggested that Modi should select and confront five critics of the amended citizenship law. He had claimed that the only way to clear the public’s doubts on the legislation was to televise a discussion between the prime minister and his critics.
The Citizenship Amendment Act, notified on January 10, provides citizenship to refugees from six minority religious communities from Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Pakistan, provided they have lived in India for six years and entered the country by December 31, 2014. The Act has been widely criticised and sparked protests for excluding Muslims. At least 26 people died in protests against the legislation last month.
Support our journalism by subscribing to Scroll+. We welcome your comments at letters@scroll.in.
P ChidambaramNPR
After Assam NRC fiasco, Modi govt changed gears to talk of NPR: Chidambaram
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Chidambaram said that NPR is "nothing but NRC in disguise".
Press Trust of India | Kolkata
Last Updated at January 18, 2020 15:59 IST
Tiny URLAdd to My PagePrint Email
18
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram arrives at his residence in New Delhi after being released from Tihar Prisons on December 4, 2019.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram arrives at his residence in New Delhi
ALSO READ
With focus on NRC, CAA, govt wants to implement Hindu Rashtra: Chidambaram
NRC and CAA: Lies, truths and half-truths
Those opposing CAA, NRC can be 'wiped out' in an hour: Haryana BJP MLA
No fresh NRC in Assam if SC accepts demand of 20% reverification: Minister
Implementation of NRC and CAA: Why a bureaucratic nightmare may be at hand
Congress leader and former home minister P Chidambaram said on Saturday that after the "Assam NRC fiasco", the Narendra Modi government has quickly "changed gears" and is now talking of NPR.
Speaking to reporters in Kolkata, Chidambaram said that NPR is "nothing but NRC in disguise".
"Our purpose is to fight the sinister purpose of Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Population of Register (NPR) and mobilise public opinion against them.
"Our stated position is that we will not agree to NPR being rolled out from April 2020," he said.
The Congress leader said, the Constitutional validity of CAA lies with the Supreme Court.
"We are fighting against NRC and CAA. Sometimes together, sometimes differently. The important thing is that we are fighting.
"All parties fighting against NPR, CAA and NRC must come together and I am confident they will," he said.
He said that the BJP had failed to gauge the strength of the opposition and thought it as a 'passing cloud'.
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