The Narendra Modi Government suffered a fresh setback after the Andhra Pradesh Government clarified that it would not implement the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) at “any cost”. The Jagan Mohan Reddy Government has appealed to the central government to implement National Population Register (NPR) in its 2010 format as NPR 2020 has “panicked” the Muslim community.
The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has passed a resolution against the NRC and NPR moved by the Deputy Chief Minister Shaik Bepari Amjad Basha in the post-lunch session of Assembly. “Andhra Pradesh Assembly today passed a resolution against the NRC, NPR,” declared Amjad Basha yesterday.
“National Population Register (NPR) in its current format is causing fear, apprehensions, and insecurities in the minds of the people of Andhra Pradesh. Addition of new columns, especially about the parents’ place of birth and date of birth, mother tongue, etc, in NPR – 2020 has led to unnecessary confusion and lack of trust among the public to the extent of impinging on public order,” the resolution read as reported by ANI.
“Under these circumstances, the Government of Andhra Pradesh requests the Central Government to revert the NPR exercise to 2010 format and as such we request the process be kept in abeyance till such time. Government of Andhra Pradesh reiterates its principled stand against National Register of Citizens (NRC),” according to the resolution.
Later, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy moved a resolution in the Legislative Assembly paying tributes to the 20 Indian soldiers who laid down their lives for the country at the border.
It may be recalled that the Deputy Chief Minister Amjad Basha, speaking to the media on 16th February 2020, had vowed to resign from his post on the NRC issue. “I will take the people’s fight against the NRC to any level. Posts are not important for me but the sentiments of the people must be respected and upheld. If the Union government unilaterally tries to go ahead with the NRC, I am even prepared to quit my post, thundered Amjad Basha. The YSR Congress government has a clear stand on the issue and if required I will even get the approval of the chief minister to table a resolution against NRC on the floor of the state assembly” he added.
Amjad Basha’s strong resolve to protect the interests of the minorities against the NRC has catapulted him as a leader of substance. He is seen as someone who walks the talk. Y. S Jagan Mohan Reddy has been on a political see-saw as sometimes he supports the Modi Government and sometimes takes a step back. The passing of the resolution against the NRC, NPR in the AP Legislative Assembly may not be without political witch hunt. In the near future, we may get updates about the past corruption cases involving Jagan Mohan Reddy. They will be brought out from the cold storage to turn the heat against the AP Chief Minister. The ‘caged parrot’ may be used to bite Jagan, where it hurts! Perhaps, it is for this reason that Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mayawati and some others have made peace with the Narendra Modi Government!
