Telangana Assembly:Resolution Against CAA, NPR, NRC Moved

HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Monday moved a resolution against CAA, NPR and NRC in the state legislative Assembly on Monday.

Terming the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) divisive, he urged the Centre to abrogate the Act. Stating that crores of people like him don't have birth certificates and can't produce certificates of their parents, he opposed the move to carry out National Population Register (NPR) with new set of questionnaire.

The Chief Minister said the Centre's move triggered nation-wide protests and created doubts about its real intention to conduct NPR. "Intolerant thinking is not good for the country and this country can't accept this," he said. Pointing out that Ministry of Home Affairs in its report for 2018-19 stated that NPR is the first step for preparation of National Register of Citizens (NRC), Rao said nobody was ready to believe the Centre that there will be no NRC. "Who is speaking truth. Union Home Minister or this report," he asked.

KCR said the CAA went against the very principles of the Indian Constitution. "Can any section of people be isolated from an Act. The Constitution does not permit this." Stating that it is not an issue of Hindus and Muslims but an issue of the very future of the country and its prestige in the international community, KCR voiced concern over the growing trend of dubbing anybody as Pakistani agent and traitor. "Can you call Telangana Assembly a traitor for passing this resolution," he asked.

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief said it was very unfortunate that at a time when US President Donald Trump was visiting the country, more than 50 people were killed in the violence in the national capital. He said MPs and ministers went to the extent of raising slogans like 'goli maro'. "What kind of language is this. A civilized society like India's can't tolerate this nuisance," KCR said.

The Chief Minister wondered how a government which is elected by voters say that voter identity cards will not be accepted as proof of citizenship. "They are saying driving license will not work, Aadhaar will not work, ration card will not work and even passport will not work. Then what will work," he asked. Stating that he stands with the Centre as far as national security is concerned, KCR said nobody was against any move to check infiltration but said nothing should be done which creates problems for the country and its citizens. KCR said the Centre should have called all parties and experts to discuss issues related to national security and move forward after evolving a consensus.

The Chief Minister recalled that the earlier experiment to issue national identity cards had failed and then government had admitted that the pilot project to issue multi-purpose national identity cards failed as the process was found to be cumbersome and the document base was weak in rural areas.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Akbaruddin Owaisi thanked the Chief Minister for bringing the resolution. He urged the state government to stay the work on updation of NPR. "With this law (CAA) non-citizens are being made citizens and citizens are going to be made non-citizens," he said. Owaisi said that the CAA, NPR and NRC were not against Muslims alone but was against all poor of the country irrespective of their religions and castes.

Amir Shakeel of TRS said CAA, NPR and NRC were all one and same. He said they should be rejected outright to save the country and its social fabric. Congress leader Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka said the Centre's move had created fears among people and divided the society.

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