BJP govt has sinister agenda, NPR dangerous: Chidambaram

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday slammed the BJP-led Central government over the National Population Register (NPR) and said that it is dangerous and different from the one implemented by the UPA in 2010.

New Delhi:Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday alleged that the National Population Register (NPR) approved by the BJP government was different and dangerous in terms of the "text and context" of the data collection done in 2010.

Charging that the BJP government has a "sinister agenda", he said if the BJP's motives are bonafide, the Government should unconditionally state that they support the NPR form and design of 2010 and do not intend to link it to the controversial NRC.

"The BJP-led government has a larger and more sinister agenda and that is why the NPR approved by them yesterday is very dangerous and different in terms of the TEXT as well as the CONTEXT of NPR 2010.

"If the BJP's motives are bonafide, let the Government unconditionally state that they support the NPR form and design of 2010 and have no intention of linking it to the controversial NRC," he said on Twitter.

Chidambaram also said that he is happy that the BJP has released a video clip of the launch of NPR in 2010.

"Please listen to the video. We were enumerating the "usual residents" of the country. The emphasis is on residency, not citizenship," he said.

The Congress leader said cases have been registered against 8000 persons for anti-CAA protest in Chennai; 1300 booked in Madurai; against 1200 for taking out a candle march in Aligarh.

"Long live the right to assemble peacefully guaranteed by the Constitution!

"Police believe that peaceful protests are more dangerous to law and order than rape, murder, and lynching," he said on Twitter.