Bihar assembly passes resolution against NRC

PATNA: Bihar assembly on Tuesday passed a unanimous resolution holding that the National Population Register (NPR) in the state would be implemented in the old 2010 format, save the inclusion of an additional column for transgender, and also rejected the Centre’s bid to carry out the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Bihar is the first NDA-ruled state, which has demanded tweaking of the revised NPR form by dropping new columns such as mentioning the dates of birth of an individual’s parents and their birth place in the soonto-be launched nationwide survey of usual residents of the country.

Those living in a particular place for six months are defined as usual residents.

Earlier, Kerala and West Bengal decided not to implement the NPR in their states. Congressruled Punjab announced that it would conduct the NPR in line with the 2010 format.

Several opposition-ruled states such as Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal and Kerala have passed resolutions against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). While, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Goa and Himachal Pradesh have passed resolutions in favour of the CAA.

In Bihar assembly, the resolution was passed when leader of the opposition, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav, brought an adjournment motion demanding a debate on the CAA, the NRC and the NPR seeking the government’s clarification regarding apprehensions about contentious issues. A special debate was allowed by Speaker Vijay Kumar Chaudhary after ruckus inside the house during pre-lunch session.