Kerala to conduct its own census, won't implement NPR: Finance Minister Thomas Isaac

The State Cabinet has decided to inform the Registrar General of India and Census Commssioner that Kerela will carry out its own census and will not implement the National Population Register (NPR), said Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac on Monday.

Talking about the decision taken by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan led government, Isaac said: "It will be counterproductive in a state like Kerala where assembly unanimously has adopted a resolution against the NPR, and to have it along with the census."

On the collection of NPR data in the state, Isaac told ANI: "The people just won't co-operate. Can we force the people to give information? This is an issue on which Kerala is united."

He also said the census data cannot be used as primary data for any other purpose nor can be diverted to anybody.

Regarding Chief Secretary Tom Jose's meeting with Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, he said: "When the Governor gives a letter, the government has to respond. The Governor has to be informed if the state is taking an action against the rules of the Centre but we don't require the consent of the Governor."

After the resolution passed in the State Assembly seeking withdrawal of the Citizenship Act, the Kerala government approached the apex court against the Act that grants Indian citizenship to Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.