NPR not discriminatory in nature, oppn misleading people: Ashwini Choubey

Union Minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Wednesday said the CAA, NRC and NPR are not discriminatory in nature and accused the opposition of misleading the people over it.

"We have not discriminated against anyone. The opposition is trying to mislead people over the CAA, NRC, and NPR. These do not hurt anyone as they have been prepared by treating all religions as one by the Prime Minister and Home Minister," Choubey told ANI here.

"We think of the nation first, then the people and at last the party. But the opposition thinks of one family, then the party and the country comes last for them. The way in which an attempt has been made to disrupt peace in the nation during the protests is being condemned by all today," he added.

The Minister of State (MoS) for Health and Family Welfare, condemned the violence which erupted in different parts of the country against CAA and NRC.

"The violence which happened around the country is simply wrong, there is no place for violence in this country as this is the land of Gautam Buddha. The students did not take part in the protests, the sin was committed by the opposition parties and the penance is being done by the common public," Choubey said.

Targeting West Bengal Chief Minister for her opposition to the NPR, he added, "NPR was done during Congress' time too, why did Banerjee not say anything then. She is misleading the people but the people of Bengal know everything and they will not fall into the trap."

Earlier yesterday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah too had urged West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to rethink their decision to stop work on updating the National Population Register (NPR).

"I want to tell chief ministers of both states (Kerala and West Bengal), don't take such step. They should rethink," Shah said in an interview with ANI Editor Smita Prakash.

"This (NPR) is the base for welfare programmes for the poor of Kerala and Bengal. Please don't keep poor people out of the developmental programme for politics, bring them in," he added.