Telangana State adopts resolution against CAA, NPR & NRC

Hyderabad: The State Assembly on Monday adopted a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The Government urged the Centre to amend the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 in order to remove all references to any religion or to any foreign country and also to take necessary steps to safeguard the people of Telangana from exercise of NPR.

Moving the resolution, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao said that the Act had created grave apprehensions in larger section of society, and many were protesting against the Centre. He recalled that the State cabinet had adopted resolution against the CAA and the State was eighth in the country to adopt resolution against CAA.

The Chief Minister said that the Act was against the secular nature of the country. "It is not the problem of Hindus and Muslims but of entire country. We felt pained with the comments of Union Ministers like 'Goli Maro Salon ko'... what is this language?" asked the Chief Minister stating that such statements led to violence in Delhi and deaths of over 50 people at a time when the American President Donald Trump was in the Capital.

The Chief Minister reiterated that he had no birth certificate and added that crores of people like him had similar problem. "The governments are elected with voter ID card and now they are saying voter ID card cannot be a proof, they even say that driving licence, Aadhaar card, passport or ration card will not be accepted.

The Chief Minister stating that the concern of his part was that the image of the country was taking a beating. Justifying this, he quoted that Times magazine said that India is intolerant.

Chandrashekar Rao said that his party would support if the government constructs a wall across borders with Myanmar to stop infiltrators. He said that people who were talking against the Centre were branded as 'anti-national'. The Assemblies are adopting resolutions against the Act does it mean the Assemblies are anti-national, he said.

The Chief Minister said that the NPR and NCR would become futile exercise as similar effort was made during Atal Bihari Vajpayee government's time. He said that the Central government took up a pilot project in 12 states and one Union Territory for issuing Multipurpose National Identity Card (MNIC) spending Rs 44.37 crore. In Medak, details of 30.9 lakh people were taken but card was given to 12 lakh people. The project was later closed.

The Chief Minister wanted the Centre to take views of all political parties and take people of the country into confidence. "They are saying there is no plan to bring NCR, but the NPR is the first step for NCR. The Act is grave mistake," he added.