NPR first step to NRC? Congress seeks to corner govt over MHA report

The Congress on Tuesday sought to corner the government on the issue of the National Population Register, claiming the annual report of the Home Ministry has said that the NPR is a first step to the National Register of Citizens.

The Congress said the government cited the Home Ministry's reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha stating the same and alleged that the BJP government is now caught in a trap of its own making.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Sunday made it clear that there is no talk of NRC being implemented in the country, a stand that goes in total variance with Home Minister Amit Shah's claim that the NRC will be implemented.

"Once again the BJP government is caught in a trap of their own making. 2018-19 Annual Report of the Union Home Ministry clearly states NPR is first step to NRC. Also in 2014, former MoS Home Ministry Kiren Rijiju replied to a question in Rajya Sabha, stating the same. Who's lying now," the Congress asked on its Twitter handle.

Asked at the AICC briefing, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari said he would first see the proposal on the National Population Register before commenting on the issue.