indica News Bureau-
Amid country-wide protests of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), far from being quelled, the Modi government is all set to work upon the renewal of National Population Register (NPR), following the Council of Ministers’ meeting on Saturday. The Modi cabinet will now meet on Tuesday to discuss National Population Register (NPR). Many states, especially West Bengal and Kerala have protested the NPR also.
The government has been preparing for the NPR amid the ongoing protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). A review exercise of NPR will begin from Tuesday.
Under the NPR, a census will be conducted from house to house across the country from April 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020, reported The Times of India. Its aim is to create a database of comprehensive identity of common residents of the country. This data will also contain biometric information along with demographics.
The NPR initiative started in 2010 under the Manmohan Singh government. Any resident residing in any area in the country for six months or more is required to register with the NPR.
However, like CAA and NRC, non-BJP ruled states are also opposing NPR and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is at the forefront. Live Mint reported that Banerjee has opened a front against the Central Government regarding CAA and NRC, has even stopped the work on NPR in West Bengal. The Communist Government of Kerala has also ordered for all NPR-related proceedings to stop as the CM Pinarayi Vijayan in an official statement has said that the government has decided to postpone the NPR as it is feared that NRC will be implemented through it.