Stopping NPR update will deprive people from getting due benefits: Union Minister Muraleedharan

Union Minister of State for External Affairs, V Muraleedharan on Sunday slammed the governments of Kerala and West Bengal for stopping the work on updating National Population Register (NPR) saying it will deprive the people of getting the benefits due on the basis of records.

"I don't know what the ultimate intention is behind stopping the work. If some state governments decide not to implement, it will ultimately result in depriving the people of the state in getting the benefits and facilities that are due on the basis of that records," Muraleedharan said.

"People should not be made as a bargaining tool for the petty political benefit of the leaders who are trying to mislead the people," he added.

The Union Minister also slammed the Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist) for joining the protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

They are sitting on constitutional positions. Both the Chief Minister and the opposition leader are using facilities availed on the taxpayers' money and are agitating on the roads. It is a ridiculous situation," Muraleedharan said.

The government of West Bengal and Kerala have put the work on population register update on hold over apprehensions that it would eventually lead to the preparation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).