Not Just Bigoted, BJP Karnataka’s NPR Tweet Also Refutes Modi Govt

As recently as 4 February, MoS Nityanand Rai clarified in Lok Sabha that no documents will required to be furnished.

A tweet by BJP Karnataka not only mocked women at Shaheen Bagh who turned out to vote on 8 February but also appeared to contradict the government’s official stance on NPR. 

(Photo modified by the Quint)

BJP Karnataka’s facetious tweet mocking Muslim women voters at Delhi Assembly elections was not only bigoted but also contradicted the government’s official stance on the National Population Register.

The controversial tweet, retweeted over 18,000 times since being published at 12.25PM, consists of a clip showing women of Shaheen Bagh standing in line to cast their vote, along with the caption, “Kaagaz Nahi Dikhayenge Hum” ! ! ! Keep the documents safe, you will need to show them again during #NPR exercise. #DelhiPolls2020”.

While the tweet has been roundly censured and called out as bigoted, its insinuation that the voters will have to “keep the documents safe” as they will be required to furnish them during #NPR exercise” also appears to directly contradict what senior ministers in the government have specified.

The government, on several occasions since the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act on 11 December, has iterated that no documents will be collected during the NPR exercise.

As recently as 4 February, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, said no document is to be collected during the exercise; Aadhaar number is collected voluntarily.

All The Times Govt Said ‘No Documents Required’

4 FEBRUARY 2020: MoS Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai

Replying to the question of compulsory collection of documents while updation of NPR, MoS Nityanand Rai in a written reply said, “No document is to be collected during this exercise.”

17 JANUARY 2020: Ministry of Home Affairs

Amid concerns expressed by opposition parties and states like West Bengal on the National Population Register (NPR), the Home Ministry on Wednesday, 15 January, said no documents will be asked or biometric taken while updating the register.

2 JANUARY 2020: Ministry of Home Affairs

Responding to a story published by The Hindu, the Union Home Ministry clarified that no individual will be required to furnish documents.

The Hindu, in a follow-up report, stated “The Union Home Ministry clarified that no person needs to submit any documents during the house-to-house survey for updating the National Population Register and that information provided by individuals would be accepted and recorded.”

Moreover, the Home Ministry also iterated the same in a tweet thread:

24 DECEMBER 2019: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar

The Union Cabinet on Tuesday, 24 December, approved funds to the tune of over Rs 3,941.35 crore to update the National Population Register (NPR).

Announcing the NPR amid protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Union Minister Prakash Javadekar sought to dismiss fears and said:

“It is self declaration, no document, biometrics, etc required for it.”