Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan calls for an all-party meet to discuss Census operations

On Tuesday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the State Assembly called for an all-party meeting on March 16 to discuss the Census operations. While addressing the assembly, he strongly assured that the National Population Register (NPR) will not happen in Kerala, however, they were not opposed to the idea of Census. Ironically, he stated that Census operations had no relation to the NPR.

Read: Ajit Pawar defends U-turn on NCP's CAA-NPR position, assures people they won't be hassled

Pinarayi Vijayan stated that the state had already reassured its people that neither the CAA nor the NPR will happen in Kerala. However, since people had apprehensions, an all-party meeting would be called to discuss about the Census operations as well. 

Read: Congress contradicts Dy CM Ajit Pawar, reiterates opposition to CAA-NPR implementation

Home Ministry reaches out to apprehensive CMs

The Centre on Tuesday had said that it was discussing with state governments, the preparations for the update of the National Population Register (NPR) which is all set to be conducted from April 1 to September 30. Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said in Lok Sabha that no document will be collected during the exercise, which will be carried out along with the house-listing phase of Census 2021.

Read: WATCH: Sharad Pawar confronted on Ajit Pawar's CAA-NRC-NPR U-turn; claims "he's not said"

"The government is in discussion with the states having concerns in regard to the preparation of NPR. The demographic and other particulars of each family and individual are to be updated/collected during the exercise of updation of NPR. No document is to be collected during this exercise," he said replying to a written question.

Home Ministry sources have revealed that the central government has already started its outreach program to allay the apprehensions and fears of states by meeting chief ministers critical of the exercise. Punjab, Kerala, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh are some of the non-BJP ruled states which have apprehensions about the NPR and critical towards the exercise.

Read: 'Coordination panel to study NPR issues in Maha': Uddhav Thackeray switches stance again

(With Agency Inputs)