VIJAYAWADA: AP Legislative Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution opposing the NRC (National Register of Citizen) and requesting the Centre to revert the NPR exercise to the 2010 format and keep the process in abeyance till then, saying the new provisions caused ‘fear’ in the minds of people.
Moving the resolution on the second day of the budget session, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Minority Welfare Amzad Basha Shaik Bepari said the NRC was creating fear among the minorities and the government should stick to the old format of 2010 and not the revised 2020 format of the National Population Register (NPR).
“The NRC is creating insecurity among the minorities and the voices of dissent have been raised all over the country. Addition of the new columns, specially pertaining to the parents place of birth and date of birth, mother tongue etc, in NPR - 2020 has led to unnecessary confusion and lack of trust among the public to the extent of impinging on public order,” the resolution said.
The minister said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has already announced not to support the NRC and the State Cabinet resolved to oppose NCR and NPR in its changed format. “The State government reiterated its principled stand against the NRC,” he said.
Budget session ends
The budget session concluded on Wednesday sans the usual fireworks and impassioned arguments. The budget session was a short affair of just two days and the total working hours were just five hours 58 minutes, perhaps the shortest budget season of the Assembly ever.
The State Assembly was adjourned sine die by Speaker Tammineni Sitaram after it passed the AP Appropriation Bill on the second-day of the budget session. In the morning, the House condoled the death of former members who passed away during the intervening period of the Assembly sessions and observed two minutes silence. The departed members include Dr B Sundararami Reddy, Dr A Eswar Reddy, Matta Venkataramana, Smr Rani Sundarammani, Perla Siva Reddy, Y Raja Ramachandar and Shaik Nasarvali.
Later, voting on demands for grants for 2020-21, department wise, was taken up and concluded in a short order. After tea break, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy moved a resolution, paying tributes to 20 brave soldiers martyred during face-off with Chinese Army in Galwan Valley, Ladakh.
Minister for Animal Husbandry, Marketing and Fisheries introduced a bill of Andhra Pradesh Aquaculture Development Authority. He said the State, which has 974 km long coast, has rich and diverse aqua and marine resources. It stands second after Gujarat in marine fish production and first in the country in aquaculture. Fifty per cent of the aqua exports from the country are from AP and the sector supports 18 lakh people.
The minister explained how Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy came to the rescue of the aqua farmers during COVID-19 lockdown crisis. “It was observed there is need for a monitoring mechanism for this sector, which is largely unorganised, hence AP State Aquaculture Development Authority, which will directly function under Chief Minister, has been brought,” he explained. Later, Finance Minister Bugganana Rajendranath presented the supplementary estimates of expenditure and moved the AP Appropriation Bill, which was passed, without delay.
GO 3: CM promises to protect tribals’ rights
Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday promised to better safeguard the rights of tribals in the State. Tribal MLAs, led by Deputy Chief Minister (Tribal Welfare) P Pushpa Sreevani, submitted a memorandum to the CM about the Supreme Court striking down of GO 3 issued in the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh allocating 100 per cent of teacher posts to tribals in the Agency areas and urged the State government to file a review petition in the SC on the issue. The CM said every step would be taken to safeguard the interests of tribals.
