Never mind the state-wide protests, the Maharashtra govt is going ahead with the NPR process from May 1, 2020. The NPR is the first step towards the government ‘listing of usual residents” and finally converting this into the NRC (All India National Register of Citizens). A report in the Maharashtra daily, Loksatta, details that this process will be concluded by June 15. Through this controversial exercise, a taluk level officer has the ‘power’ to declare any person, residents of India for decades, “doubtful citizens.’ This unconstitutional provision has been brought into the 2003 Citizenship Rules in 2003 when the NDA I government was in power.
According to today’s news report, the central government’s Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued such a circular to the state government which is “expected” to follow through with its own notification soon declaring that the NPR will begin!. West Bengal, Punjab, Kerala are states that have so far refused to implement the NPR process citing its unconstitutionality. However the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi led government in the state (Shiv Sena, Indian National Congress, National Congress Party) looks all set to implement the exercise. A meeting has already been held on January 7, 2020 in which census officials have met with district and state government representatives.
On February 6, 2020, in Mumbai a meeting of all District Collectors was held as a follow up to this. While this was primarily related to the Census exercise, the meeting between the General Administration Department (GAD) and central government representatives took place in the presence of officials Valsa Nayar and Rashmi Jhagde. At this meeting the Maharashtra govt’s “readiness” to begin the NPR exercise was reportedly communicated by the office of the RGI (state level) representative, YS Patil. Further it was also communicated that the dates have been finalized for May 1 to June 15. Between February 9 and 28 further arrangements will be worked out since 3, 34, 000 state government employees will be employed in the exercise.
Criteria for NPR Listing of “Usual Citizens”: While documents will not be sought (!!!), the birth dates of individuals will be asked and if the person concerned is aware of the year but not the date, questions around “religion-based calendars or festivals or national festivals will be used to determine the date! (This has been laid down in the NPR Manual circulated for the “training” of state government personnel undertaking the task!). If the person recalls the “season” or “festival” when he or she was born (!!!!) then that will be noted as the “date of birth.” All festivals, traditions and dates find a place in the listing, but not one that relates to Islam or Muslims!
Days as Memory Markers for the NPR officials: New Year’s Day, Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, Makar Sakranti, republic Day, Vasant Panchami, Dayanand Saraswati Jayanti, Maha Shivratri, Holi, Gudi Padwa, Ram Navmi, Baisakhi, Bihu, Mahavir Jayanti, Good Friday, Buddha Purnima, Rath Yatra, Nag Panchami, Raksha Bandhan, Independence Day, Ganesh Chathurthi, Onam, Dassehra, Durga Puja, Navratra, Diwali, Bhau Bee, Durga Puja, Navrati, Diwali, Valmiki Jayanti, Chat Puja, Guru Nanak Jayanti. Festivals related to all faiths and traditions except Islam have been listed as memory markers for the birth date.
While Central government and state government holidays include Ramzan Eid, Bakri Eid, Eid-E-Milad and Moharram as holidays these do not find any place in the NPR birth date location process!
At the meeting held in Mumbai, state government officials pointed this exclusion of Islamic days and traditions from the NPR listing exercise, to the RGI representative, YS Patil, who reportedly maintained a silence on the issue and did not respond to queries.
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