Andhra CM urges Centre to carry out NPR in old format

March 3, 2020
Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh’s YSR Congress Party government on Tuesday decided to request the Centre to undertake National Population Register (NPR) exercise as per the 2010 format as some of the questions in the new format were causing insecurity among minorities.

Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said a resolution in this regard would be introduced in the upcoming Assembly session.

“Some of the questions proposed in the NPR are causing insecurities in the minds of minorities of my state. After elaborate consultations within our party, we have decided to request the Central Government to revert the conditions to those prevailing in 2010,” tweeted Jagan Mohan Reddy after a meeting with some Muslim leaders here.

Jagan Reddy’s tweet came amid growing demands from various sections including his own party leaders not to carry out NPR along with the Census from April 1.

His deputy Amjad Basha and other Muslim leaders of the YSRCP had appealed to him to pass a resolution opposing NPR, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Jagan had already assured people that NRC will not be implemented in the state. He, however, was mum on NPR and CAA.

The YSRCP had voted for Citizenship Amendment Bill in the Parliament. Deputy Chief Minister Basha recently admitted that supporting the Bill was a mistake by the YSRCP.

Addressing a series of public meetings in the state, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president Asaduddin Owaisi and other Muslim leaders had urged Jagan to stay the NPR, as done by Kerala.
IANS