Chennai, March 12: The AIADMK-led government in Tamil Nadu took a u-turn on the National Population Register (NPR), stating that the pre-census exercise would not be implemented in the state till the Centre reverts to the doubts raised by the state. The announcement by AIADMK, an ally of the Centre-ruling BJP, came on a day when Home Minister Amit Shah reiterated before the Parliament that NPR is not linked to the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The reversal in AIADMK's stand on NPR comes days after Chief Minister E Palaniswami had declined the Opposition's demand to pass an assembly resolution against NPR. Palaniswami had then claimed that the NPR is not a threat towards the citizenship of minorities or any other vulnerable group. 'NRC Will Happen', BJP Quotes Amit Shah Saying During Media Seminar, Later Deletes Tweet.

Amid growing protests across Tamil Nadu against the Centre's citizenship project, the state government decided to raise doubts related to NPR with the central government. The AIADMK asked the Union government to either resort to the 2010 format of NPR or explain why six new questions have been added.

On failing to elicit a clarification from the Centre, the government has decided to put the NPR process on hold till all the doubts are significantly addressed, said senior AIADMK leader and state Revenue Minister RB Udhayakumar.

The NPR process is scheduled to be initiated from April 1, 2020. A major section of the Opposition parties led by the Congress have demanded the non-BJP ruled states to not to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), halt the NPR and block the proposed nationwide implementation of NRC.

Amit Shah, while speaking in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, said neither the NPR is linked to NRC, nor the government is considering to remove a section of NPR respondents from the electoral rolls. "Respondents who can’t furnish all details will be put in the D category you say, but that is not going to happen," he said.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 12, 2020 09:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).