Congress condemns Vijayvargiya's 'poha' remark, says there may be religious profiling during NPR

Congress leader Sushmita Dev on Friday condemned 'poha' remarks of BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya, saying the BJP-led government may do "religious and language" profiling during the National Population Register (NPR) exercise.

Addressing the media here, Dev said remarks such as those made by Vijayvargiya raise suspicion that the government may be also be trying to profile what people eat and the party has real apprehensions over its intentions.

She accused the Central government of changing the nature of NPR. "We are suspicious of the intentions of the government," said she.

Seeking an apology from Vijayvargiya over his remarks, she said that such comments establish "beyond doubt that they (the government) will misuse NPR."

He alleged that the remarks will instill fear among the people.

Vijayvargiya at an event in support of the Citizenship Amendment Act in Madhya Pradesh's Indore had said that he suspected some of the construction labourers working at his house were Bangladeshis as they only ate 'poha' (flattened rice), which aroused suspicion about their nationality.

Sushmita Dev said the new questions included in the NPR exercise "give sufficient cause of concern" and it will be "disguised NRC."

"Profiling may take place in terms of caste, religion, language and now even food. That is our apprehension. It is a real apprehension," she said.

The former MP said that there was a provision of holding NPR in the law and the Congress-led UPA government had also conducted it in some states.

The Union Cabinet had last month approved the proposal for conducting the census and the updation of the National Population Register (NPR).