Congress to up NPR ante, plans key meeting of general secretaries & MPs

Indian National Congress will hold a meeting of all its general secretaries and members of Parliament to discuss National Population Register (NPR) on February 4 at 6 pm. According to a press release, meeting will be held at party office at 15, Gurudwara Rakabganj ro in Delhi.

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Contentious NPR

Congress has been vocally opposed to NPR, calling it a backdoor attempt to implement a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC). Several top leers including former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Shashi Tharoor, among ors have opposed NPR and have been rallying Opposition in ir effort to discour government to carry out exercise.

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States blocking NPR

On December 17, Mamata Banerjee's West Bengal government became first state to put on hold work on NPR. It was followed by CPI(M) ruled Kerala three days later. While Congress party has opposed move, ne of five Congress-led states have passed an official resolution against same. BJP allies last week welcomed Union government's decision that giving details about parents' birth will be optional for people during NPR exercise, with LJP president Chirag Paswan expressing confidence that it will help end "confusion" over issue.

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BJP clarifies, Oppn sees comfort

Earlier, Union minister Prakash Javekar h said that giving date of birth or place of birth of parents is optional in exercise. Opposition parties, which have been protesting against exercise, have said that a large number of people, especially poor, in country do t have details of ir parents' birth dates or places.

However, BJP leers and Ministries have been given contrictory statements. As per Home Ministry report, every household he will have to sign NPR document, which says that information given by him is to best of his kwledge. In case of any wrong information, re is a provision of imposing a penalty of up to Rs 1,000 in NPR as well as in Census too.

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(IM CREDIT: PTI)