BJP’s NPR Dangerous, Different In Terms Of ‘Text & Context’ From One In 2010: Chidambaram

Chidambaram said if the BJP's motives are bonafide, the Government should unconditionally state that they support the NPR form and design of 2010 and do not intend to link it to the controversial NRC.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram

New Delhi: Former Finance Minister and Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday claimed that the National Population Register approved by the Union Cabinet is different from that of the 2010 NPR in terms of the "text and context" of the data collection done in 2010. Taking to Twitter, Chidambaram alleged that the BJP government has a hidden sinister agenda behind the NPR. He said if the BJP's motives are bonafide, the Government should unconditionally state that they support the NPR form and design of 2010 and do not intend to link it to the controversial NRC. "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. "If the BJP's motives are bonafide, 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," he said on Twitter.

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.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) December 26, 2019

If the BJP's motives are bonafide, 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.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) December 26, 2019

Chidambaram also said that he is happy that the BJP has released a video clip of the launch of NPR in 2010. The Congress leader's remark comes two days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that there is no link between the NPR and the NRC and the data collected for the NPR will not be used in the NRC. "Please listen to the video. We were enumerating the "usual residents" of the country. The emphasis is on residency not citizenship," he said. The Congress leader said cases have been registered against 8000 persons for anti-CAA protest in Chennai; 1300 booked in Madurai; against 1200 for taking out a candle march in Aligarh. "Long live the right to assemble peacefully guaranteed by the Constitution! "Police believe that peaceful protests are more dangerous to law and order then rape, murder and lynching," he said on Twitter.

I am happy that the BJP has released a video clip of the launch of NPR in 2010. Please listen to the video. We were enumerating the "usual residents" of the country. The emphasis is on residency not citizenship.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) December 26, 2019

Long live the right to assemble peacefully guaranteed by the Constitution! Police believe that peaceful protests are more dangerous to law and order then rape, murder and lynching.

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) December 26, 2019

Amid growing apprehensions about the NPR, Amit Shah had urged opposition parties not to do politics over the population register as "it is aimed at benefitting citizens and for improving the planning of welfare schemes". So far, the governments of West Bengal and Kerala have decided to stop the exercise to update the NPR. (with inputs from agencies)