‘Our Stance is Clear, Kerala Will Not Implement NPR’: CM Vijayan

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan said fears fanned about the census process in Kerala were unfounded.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

(Photo: PTI)

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday, 11 February, said fears fanned about the census process in Kerala were unfounded and asserted that the State will not implement the National Population Register (NPR).

The state government has conveyed this to the central government also, Vijayan told the state assembly.

“Our stance is clear. Kerala will not implement NPR. We have made it known to the Union Government,” Vijayan said.

The fears that are being fanned about the census in Kerala are unfounded. In our state, the census will be carried out only in the usual manner and will not have any business with NPR," Vijayan said.

He was replying to the concerns expressed by the opposition members who said there was confusion over conducting the census process in the state. "There is no need to be anxious about the census," the chief minister maintained. The opposition also raised apprehensions about detention centres.

Vijayan pointed out that it was the Congress-led United Democratic Front which had decided to construct detention centres in the state in 2015.

The order for setting up detention centres was signed by the then State Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala, he said.

"We had given approval for the centres to keep those who are stranded in the state due to lack of passport or visa.

Also the situation then was unlike what we have now," Chennithala countered.