NPR won’t affect anyone’s citizenship, says Amit Shah

Manglore Today News Network / Yahoo

New Delhi, Dec 25, 2019:   The Home Minister also admitted that there was a lack of communication from the government on the Citizenship Amendment Act.

 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said there had been no discussion on a nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) -- two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi distanced his government from the exercise. "There is no need to debate this (pan-India NRC) as there is no discussion on it right now. PM Modi was right, there is no discussion on it yet either in the Cabinet or Parliament," Amit Shah said in an interview with ANI.

The remark signals a U-turn on part of Amit Shah, who has made public statements about a pan-India NRC — as recently as earlier this month. The Home Minister also admitted that there was a lack of communication from the government on the Citizenship Amendment Act. "There may be a lack of communication, I have no problem in accepting that. But you can watch my speech in the Parliament, I have clearly mentioned that the National population Register would not affect anyone’s citizenship," Amit Shah said.

The Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved a proposal to update the National Population Register (NPR). The NPR exercise will require people to declare ‘date and place of birth of parents’ besides furnishing data on 21 points.