Modi govt wants to do NPR, NRC with the Census, claims Owaisi

Hyderabad, Sep 4 (IANS) AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi said on Wednesday that the Narendra Modi government wants to conduct NPR and NRC along with the Census from September and warned that if this was done, the entire country will witness what happened in Assam when 28 people were sent to the detention centre after being declared non-citizens. 

Citing media reports, the Hyderabad MP said that the Modi government wants to conduct NPR and NRC along with the Census from September.

He recalled that Telangana Assembly had passed a resolution unanimously saying the Census would be conducted but NPR and NRC would not happen.

“If NPR and NRC happen along with the Census, these scenes will be witnessed in the entire country,” he said.

Owaisi said the cries of the family members of those who were sent to a detention camp in Assam had caused concern to all.

The MP blamed Assam border police for the incident. “Assam border police is very biased and randomly picks anyone and declares him a foreigner. The case goes to foreigners’ tribunal and the approach of the tribunal is also very exclusionary and arbitrary,” he said.

The AIMIM chief mentioned that Section 9 of the Foreigners Act places the burden of proof on those accused of not being Indians. He pointed out that in Rahim Ali's case, the Supreme Court observed that there was gross injustice in the entire process.

“How other family members of these 28 people arrested and sent to detention centre are Indians. How is that possible,” he asked.

He said those declared non-citizens are kept in detention centres for two years. “Let the government deport them to Bangladesh but it is not done because Bangladesh does not accept them,” he said.

Reacting strongly to the killing of a 19-year-old student in Haryana on the suspicion of being a cattle smuggler, Owaisi termed the so-called Gau Rakshaks as ‘Rakshas’ (devils).

“The killers are saying we have committed a mistake as we have killed a youth of our Brahmin samaj. You have killed a human being, whether he is a Brahmin, Hindu, or a Muslim,” he said.

The MP alleged that the Haryana government has given them freedom to do whatever they want.

“How they got the gun. If they have an arms licence, who gave them the licence,” he asked.

Owaisi said the Haryana government was encouraging Gau Rakshaks, giving them weapons and deploying them on roads. He wondered if the police had given their duties to Gau Rakshaks.

“Two youths of Rajasthan were burnt alive in Haryana. Despite this incident, cow vigilantes are being allowed to take the law into their own hands,” he added.

--IANS

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