<p>JD(U) national president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has questioned the PM Narendra Modi-led government on the new National Population Register (NPR) form and asked the Centre to use the 2011 NPR form instead of the new one.</p>.<p>"The new NPR form is creating more apprehensions and fear. There are many columns, like place and date of birth of parents, which are unnecessary. If you ask me, even I don’t know the date of birth of my mother. I have been told that these columns are optional. One can leave it blank. But leaving a column blank will give rise to more suspicion and apprehensions. So, I would appeal to the Centre to stick to the old NPR form (of 2010-11) instead of the new one," Nitish, a strong ally of BJP-led NDA, said here in the state capital.</p>.<p>Nitish, who has reiterated that there was no question of implementing National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bihar, made it clear that JD(U) MPs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha will take up the NPR issue with the Centre and apprise the Modi government about their reservations.</p>.<p>Last week, Union Minister and another BJP ally, Ram Vilas Paswan, too had raised a red flag on the NPR and said: "What is the rationale behind asking place and date of birth of father-mother? I don’t remember when and where my mother was born. These columns should be immediately withdrawn from the NPR form as it was creating confusion and apprehensions."</p>.<p>Nitish, who is at variance with his party’s national vice-president Prashant Kishor on the issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), said any legislation passed by the Centre will have to be implemented by the states. "You can protest before a legislation is passed in the Parliament. But once it becomes a law, all the state governments are bound to implement it," said the Bihar chief minister, while reacting on those state governments who have been passing resolutions in the Assembly opposing CAA.</p>.<p>"The matter is being heard in the Supreme Court. One should allow the apex court to decide its legality," argued Nitish.</p>
<p>JD(U) national president and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has questioned the PM Narendra Modi-led government on the new National Population Register (NPR) form and asked the Centre to use the 2011 NPR form instead of the new one.</p>.<p>"The new NPR form is creating more apprehensions and fear. There are many columns, like place and date of birth of parents, which are unnecessary. If you ask me, even I don’t know the date of birth of my mother. I have been told that these columns are optional. One can leave it blank. But leaving a column blank will give rise to more suspicion and apprehensions. So, I would appeal to the Centre to stick to the old NPR form (of 2010-11) instead of the new one," Nitish, a strong ally of BJP-led NDA, said here in the state capital.</p>.<p>Nitish, who has reiterated that there was no question of implementing National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bihar, made it clear that JD(U) MPs in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha will take up the NPR issue with the Centre and apprise the Modi government about their reservations.</p>.<p>Last week, Union Minister and another BJP ally, Ram Vilas Paswan, too had raised a red flag on the NPR and said: "What is the rationale behind asking place and date of birth of father-mother? I don’t remember when and where my mother was born. These columns should be immediately withdrawn from the NPR form as it was creating confusion and apprehensions."</p>.<p>Nitish, who is at variance with his party’s national vice-president Prashant Kishor on the issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), said any legislation passed by the Centre will have to be implemented by the states. "You can protest before a legislation is passed in the Parliament. But once it becomes a law, all the state governments are bound to implement it," said the Bihar chief minister, while reacting on those state governments who have been passing resolutions in the Assembly opposing CAA.</p>.<p>"The matter is being heard in the Supreme Court. One should allow the apex court to decide its legality," argued Nitish.</p>
