P Chidambaram defends old video on NPR, cites emphasis on 'residency' & 2011 Census link

After BJP posted an old video of P Chidambaram seeking to expose the alleged double standards of Congress on the National Population Register, the senior Congress leader on Thursday defended his remarks. While admitting that the United Progressive Alliance government had launched the NPR in 2010, he opined that the emphasis back then was on “residency” and not citizenship. Contending that the NPR aided the 2011 Census preparation, he maintained that there was no mention of the National Register of Citizens at that time.  

Read: SHOCKING: Arundhati Roy Asks Indians To 'lie' In Census Over NPR, Says 'give Fake Names'

Read: Owaisi Leads Delegation Of Religious Leaders To Meet Telangana CM KCR Over NRC-NPR

Chidambaram accuses Centre of having a 'sinister agenda'

Chidambaram claimed that the NPR approved by the government on Tuesday was “very dangerous”. He alleged that both the text as well as the context of the NPR was radically different from the past. Furthermore, he challenged the Centre to unconditionally declare its support for the 2010 format of the NPR form and to state that it would not be linked to the NRC.

Read: Amit Shah Dismisses Owaisi's Claim Of NRC-NPR Being Linked; Mocks Him For Comparison

Union Minister posts old video

Earlier in the day, Minister of State, Prime Minister’s Office Dr Jitendra Singh posted an old video of Chidambaram. In the video, the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram is addressing a press briefing on the NPR. Maintaining that NPR was mandatory in nature, he brushed aside concerns that it could inconvenience the citizens. Chidambaram opined that it was “not a big issue” as people gathered for many occasions such as a wedding and temple festival.  

Read: Owaisi Questions PM Modi And HM Amit Shah On Nationwide NRC, Asks 'Who's Lying?'