TN CM flays DMK for trying to 'confuse' people on NPR

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami on Saturday flayed DMK and its alliance partners for trying to confuse people on the National Population Register and said it was only a census and not to be bracketed with National Register of Citizens.

He recalled that the census exercise was last done in 2011 during the UPA regime when Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has also clearly clarified (in Parliament) that it was only a census and not NPR, he told reporters.

"This is only a census and not NRC (National Register of Citizens). Despite the clarifications by the Home Minister, if DMK and alliance parties are opposing it, then it is only for political reasons. That is my view", he said. Continuing his attack on the part's arch-rival, Palaniswami said the public is being confused by those parties "which do not even have the people's support".

"To create confusion among the public, the opposition parties are trying to pressurise the Central and State governments on NPR by staging protests. The people, youth and the minorities should take note of it", he said.

Stalin had on Thursday come out against the National Population Register, saying the NPR and National Register of Citizens (NRC) were "two sides of the same coin." He said that under the Citizenship Amendment Act, there was a concern that NPR will create an ecosystem that will "discriminate" against all religions.

Stalin, whose party has been opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act, had said there was concern that NPR will create an ecosystem that will "discriminate" against all religions. The Union Cabinet last week approved over Rs 3,941.35 crore for updating the National Population Register. The updating exercise is to commence from April next year. The West Bengal and Kerala governments have stayed all activities related to the NPR, scheduled to be taken up early next year.