Participation in NPR meet doesn't mean acquiescence: PC

Backing the Congress-led state governments for attending the Delhi meeting on National Population Register, former Union minister and party's senior leader P. Chidambaram on Saturday said participation in the deliberations does not mean acquiescence, and claimed no constitutional issues were involved in states refusing to carry out the NPR exercise.

"Participation does not mean acquiescence. The Centre invites the officers of the state government to state its case as to why NPR should be rolled out. The officers of the state government go and attend the meeting to find out what the view of the Census Commissioner are.

"They place on the table why they are opposing the NPR. That's the correct thing to do," Chidambaram told media here.

Except the Trinmaool Congress ruled West Bengal, all state governments took part in the NPR deliberations on Friday in Delhi.

He said several chief secretaries pointed out at the meeting the pitfalls of NPR, and they would get back to their states and report to the respective chief ministers who would take a final position.

"And I have no doubt in my mind that the Congress chief ministers will take a position consistent with the Congress Working Committee's resolution (opposing the NPR rollout from April 1).

"Participation in a meeting to find out what the other side has to say does not mean acquiescence or acceptance," Chidambaram added.

The Congress working committee member claimed no constitutional issues were involved in some states deciding not to implement the NPR.

He said with the Supreme Court seized with the validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the states were "perfectly justified" in saying let the constitutional validity of CAA be decided first, and then they would take a call.

The Supereme Court is set to hear on January 22 a bunch of petitions moved against the CAA which was passed by Parliament last month.

"NPR will eventually lead to CAA. So why do you do an NPR now?" he asked.

Chidambaram argued that the states were also entitled to tell the Centre that they can't roll out the NPR on April 1 going by the law and order situation, and the widespread opposition among the people.IANS