chennai sources stated that the tamilnadu assembly on wednesday witnessed a heated debate over the National population Register (NPR) exercise with the DMK alleging that it does not feature Islamic festivals while the ruling AIADMK retorted that the manual of 2010 too did not have it.
Furthermore urging chief minister K Palaniswami to announce that NPR exercise will not be undertaken in the State, leader of Opposition M K stalin said the new enumeration form of the population drive posed several questions.
He alleged No one needs to think that this will only affect Muslims. This will for sure create several consequences for many, including Tamils, and demanded the government to assure that the NPR exercise would not be taken up in the state. Furthermore deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam said, We celebrate all festivals ramzan, Bakrid, pongal and Deepavali. He assured that the government is committed to the welfare of the minorities.
Moreover Revenue minister R B Udhayakumar asserted that the NPR form has nothing to do with festivals. Tracing the background to the exercise, he said the opposition was making claims for "votebank" which led to an apprehension that such a stand may lead to an unresolvable issue. Only some features like aadhar information were new in the NPR form and the state government has sought clarification from the Centre over such aspects but it was yet to get a reply. On Islamic festivals, Udhayakumar said Islamic festivals do not find a place in the NPR manual released in 2010 too. All the festivals that found a place in the 2010 NPR Manual is featured in the 2020 manual also.
