This also means not only Amit Shah but PM Modi’s statement that there hasn’t been any discussion on NRC since 2014 is true or not, we are doubtful?
New Delhi: After two weeks of protests across the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally in Ramlila Maidan in Delhi said that his government since 2014 has not planned a nationwide NRC. There was no discussion on it in the cabinet or even in the parliament. He also said that lies are being spread about the implementation of NRC. As it is famously and widely said, the internet never forgets.
After PM Modi’s speech, BJP expected that the critics will get an answer. But on the contrary, it raised more questions. Because there are multiple evidences, videos, statements of Home Minister Amit Shah and many other Modi cabinet ministers in public domain, in their own twitter account where they have explicitly without any ambiguity claimed that nation-wide NRC will be conducted. In this backdrop, Modi’s statement raised two questions.
- If these statements made by Amit Shah and other leaders are true then was PM Modi lying?
- The second question is, if What PM Modi says is true then why did Amit Shah and others so vehemently stressed on pan-India NRC? Was there a communication gap?
This was answered by Amit Shah in his interview with ANI yesterday, where he said that he has no hesitation to accept that there has been a communication gap. This was one instance.
Now a similar situation is repeating, this time with Amit Shah. The same question is being raised on Amit Shah. Is he lying to India?
After CAA, NRC, NPR or the national population register is the latest cause of concern for many who are protesting against the CAA+NRC. The Modi cabinet in the hours-long meeting decided that it will begin the process of NPR. Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the process of updating the NPR will be held between April and September 2020, before the Census which is due to start from February 2021.
He also said that the government has allocated Rs 13,000 crore for NPR and Census. Rs 8,754 crore have been allocated for the Census and Rs 3941 crore for the NPR. He also said that there is no need to raise concern against NPR as it was carried out in 2010 by UPA govt as well.
Well, Javadekar also claimed that all the states have already accepted to do NPR and their officers are being trained. But already in West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has put a stop to the NPR exercise and so has Kerala. Many non-BJP states may follow the suit soon.
Now, while speaking to media, several questions were raised about whether NPR exercise will collect biometric data of the person or will it ask for any documents as proof. Javadekar said that there are no such requirements.
A few hours later in the interview with ANI, Amit Shah said that NPR is in no way connected with the NRC, which was the principal fear of the critics who have been opposing Nationwide NRC and CAA. But, the question again is, is he speaking the truth? How can one possibly believe his words or be relieved with assurance when there are multiple instances which are in the public domain contradicting the same?
There are at least 9 instances contradicting Amit Shah’s claim.
v The Ministry of Home Affairs which is headed by Amit Shah recently published an annual report. You can easily find it on the website of the Home Ministry. On page number 262, under chapter 15 Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, read point number four.
It says, The RG&CCI also discharges the statutory function of the Registrar General of Citizens Registration (RGCR) under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the Citizenship (Registration and Issue of National Identity Cards) Rules, 2003. The National Population Register (NPR) is the first step towards the creation of the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) under the provisions of the aforementioned Statute.
v Now, let’s go back to 2014 when the Modi govt came to power for the first time. As per the fact-finding by Indian Express, the government has time and again inside the parliament has admitted that NPR in fact is the first step to NRC.
On July 8, 2014, then MoS Home Kiran Rijiju replied to a question raised by Congress MP Rajeev Satav in Parliament. In this reply, he had said, “The scheme of NPR has been reviewed and it has been decided that NPR should be completed and taken to its logical conclusion, which is a creation of NRIC by verification of citizenship status of every usual resident in the NPR.”
Here, note the words’ logical conclusion. This means that the aim of the NPR is in fact NRC.
v In the very same month at least three more times he made it clear in parliament that NPR and NRC are linked. On July 15 and July 22 in Lok Sabha whereas on July 23 in Rajya Sabha.
v Four months later on November 26, 2014, Rijiju told Rajya Sabha: “The NPR is the first step towards the creation of National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) by verifying the citizenship status of every usual resident.” He stated the purpose of the exercise.
v On April 21 and July 28, 2015, then MoS Home Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhury reiterated the “logical conclusion” statement in Lok Sabha during question hour.
v On May 13, 2015, in Rajya Sabha, Rijiju made similar assertions.
v On November 11, 2016, Rijiju reiterated this during question hour in Rajya Sabha. “The Government has approved the preparation of Population Register comprising details of usual residents in the country. The preparation of the Population Register is a part of the preparation of the National Register of Indian Citizens under provisions of the Citizenship Act, 1955 read with the Citizenship Rules (2003).”
v On November 26, a press release was issued by the Home Ministry. Also, Kiran Rijiju in the Rajya Sabha in response to the question of TN Seema said that NPR is the first step towards NRIC. He also said that there is no proposal to merge the Aadhaar database in NPR.
These are the instances when the ministers in the Modi cabinet themselves in the parliament on record mentioned that NPR is in fact being carried out for NRC. The government is linking NPR with Census but the fact is the National Population Register is being conducted under the Citizenship Act, 1955 and the 2003 rules while the Census is done under the Census Act, 1948.
In 2003 the Atal Bihari Vajpayee govt amended the Citizenship Act, 1955 to include the category of an “illegal migrant”. A certain set of rules were laid down for the implementation of the amendment.
The rules mentioned that The Central Government shall, for the purpose of National Register of Indian Citizens, carry throughout the country a house-to-house enumeration of each family and individual, residing in a local area including the Citizenship status
It further specifies that there will be a local register maintained. A category of doubtful citizens will be created after carrying out the verification process and these citizens will be asked to prove if they are Indians or not.
So the very basis on which NPR is created relates to NRC. It has been established time and again.
This also means not only Amit Shah but PM Modi’s statement that there hasn’t been any discussion on NRC since 2014 is true or not, we are doubtful?
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