When the debate on NPR 2020 started, the concern at that point of time was its format and information required during NPR exercise. The most troublesome for people was the details of the birth of parents. In those days the 2010 format was more acceptable than the 2020 format. But the CAA has changed the rules of the game and the narrative of the citizenship debate on NPR and NRC.
As the debate moved further some state chief ministers strongly opposed NPR in their respective states. Some of them even passed resolutions in their state assemblies against NPR. The most significant move against NPR was by the Bihar government because of its alliance with the BJP in the state. The categorical assertion by Nitish Kumar that he also has got no birth certificate of his mother was logical and convincing and that touched the people’s chord. Further, the Delhi government also declared that its own 61 MLAs do not have birth certificate which further intensified the debate in favour of the people.
But the big questions: Post-Covid-19, will people accept even the NPR 2010 format? Many organisations like Hum Bharat Ke Log (We the People of India) and Alliance Against CAA, NRC and NPR that had boycotted NPR initially are now opposed to NPR 2010 format and also 2015 and 2020.
“NPR was bad in 2010, so it is now. In 2010, CAA 2019 was not there. Now, there is clear intention that this government will do NRC on this NPR data. What about those who will be subjected to prejudice on the ground of religion and placed in D-voter category? NPR process is clearly arbitrary. It is amenable to declare anyone and everyone as doubtful. Then the doubtful person will spend his remaining life in contesting litigation to save his existence,” said Supreme Court lawyer, M R Shamshad.
He added, “The government may not do house to house enumeration for collecting another data for NRC after NPR data collection exercise because data collected under NPR is for NRC only. So therefore, NPR for all practical reasons is NRC. The government has itself created confusion in the mind of the people by propagating that it will do NPR and then NRC which is factually incorrect because the only data collected during NPR exercise will be scrutinised for the purpose of NRC.”
Sajid Nomani, who works with a leading multinational corporations, said, “The NPR has been happening in the country in the past too. This is also important since the data is used by the government in announcing public welfare related projects. Now due to current circumstances and law, this has gone tough. People are hesitant in sharing their information with the authorities. It’s a bigger challenge for authorities since they are not getting proper support from people. In addition to that the pandemic Covid-19 has added to their woes. The authorities cannot take help from forces as it will further contaminate the data. It’s a huge challenge in wake of current existing rule.
“It’s my personal recommendation to rip of the amendments. This would make the job of authorities a bit easier. Moreover, a proper data collection will help to benefit the economy which has gone for a toss in prevailing circumstances. This will additionally help the poor and needy who are worst affected,” he said.
Dr. Maskoor Ahmad Usmani, Former President, Aligarh Muslim University Students Union, on 200 days of anti-CAA protest, said, “The recent anti-CAA protest was unprecedented in its kind as this was marked by the representation of Muslim women who are often stereotyped as subjugated by patriarchy and stigma. The recent Citizenship Amendment Act passed by the incumbent dispensation marks the very idea of how Muslims can be otherised and their constitutional rights can be forfeited. Soon after the passing of the discriminatory law students from Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia started the resistance movement in their campuses opposing the very act. This was followed by slapping of false charges against the students and police brutality to subdue the agitation. The movement led by these campuses sparked the movement across the country and Shaheen Bagh became an epicentre of the protest which was mainly joined and led by the Muslim women. The sangh parivar which has been adamant in demonising Muslim men of being chauvinist, sexist and patriarchal was debunked.”
Usmani further said, “The Muslim women came out of their homes and reclaimed their democratic spaces which shattered the foul narrative and propaganda of the government. This protest was unique in its kind where Muslim women came down on streets against the very discriminatory law. During the time of accurate health crisis across the world, when prisoners are being released to avoid community spread of Covid-19, it is shameful that the government is on with its witch-hunt and has been arresting young Muslim activists.”
“We cannot protest on the road. To ask us to protest in virtual medium is locking our helplessness. We look to the judiciary for relief against torture, death, loss, police excesses, arrest without reason, fake cases and so on. It is a gamble. The judge may, but usually will not give any relief right from metropolitan magistrate to the Supreme Court. This is a twin, or double Emergency. Covid gives the government the excuse to do what it wants. Our fear of both government and disease makes us accept injustice. This is the loss, the erosion, the cut in my human status, in my human rights, in my citizenship,” said John Dayal, noted social and human rights activist.
As the debate on CAA and anti-CAA protest has virtually started, the talk on NPR and NRC is also likely to gain momentum sooner or later. Experts are of the view that even if the government is adamant, it should put all the debate on CAA, NPR and NRC on hold so long as people can easily come out of the Corona scare otherwise it will further aggravate the anxiety and the trauma of the people resulting from the pandemic. Instead the government should concentrate more on health and economy which is the need of the hour keeping in mind Covid-19 challenges. The alarming situation in Delhi, Mumbai and challenges elsewhere demand the government to focus on Covid-19 pandemic and put on hold the issue of CAA, NRC and NPR.