Muslims urge KCR to stop NPR

Hyderabad: A delegation of Muslim leaders under the leadership of All India Majilis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday called on Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao and submitted a memorandum urging him to stop all ongoing work on updation of the National Population Register (NPR).

The delegation consisting of 30 Muslim leaders under the banner of the United Muslim Action Committee expressed apprehensions that the Centre might use the NPR to create the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

They said that there is a need to ensure that citizens in Telangana are protected from "arbitrary and discriminatory measures such as NRC".

They also asked the chief minister to ensure conduct of state public service is in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

The leaders raised apprehensions that imposing unnecessary burdens through the NPR on people is likely to lead to public disorder.

Further, the contradictory statements made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on NRC clearly pointed to widespread confusion over the motives and objects behind the NPR, they said.

"This is a process that has caused justified consternation among citizens across the country.

It must be noted that in the interest of public order, it is required that residents of the state are not put at risk of extortion and harassment," the leaders said in the letter addressed to KCR.

The delegation also informed the CM that the state government will have to face burden of appointing officers to conduct the NPR.

It has been reported that it requires 71,000 enumerators in Telangana to conduct the first phase of NPR and in second phase, the requirement of government machinery increase significantly.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Owaisi said that the NPR is the first step towards the NRC. "The Union government is preparing NPR as per the Citizenship Act, 1955.

It is connected to the NRC. He alleged that Home Minister Amit Shah was misleading the country. He said they had apprised the chief minister of all the facts and now it is for the chief minister to take a decision.

He said he was confident that the government would consider their viewpoint.