New Delhi: More than 1,000 women from across a cross-section of professions and several rights groups have written to every chief minister in the country, requesting that the National Population Register be de-linked from the Census 2021 house listing process in the light of the harm it could cause to women.
Prominent women rights activists, including Annie Raja, Farah Naqvi, Anjali Bhardwaj, Vani Subramanian, Meera Sanghmitra, Mariam Dhawle and Poonam Kaushik released the letter at Delhi’s Press Club.
The signatories include activists, writers, academics, lawyers, doctors, farmers, professionals, anganwadi workers and women from all walks of life from more than 20 states.
The letter reads:
“We write to you as Indian women who are opposed to the National Population Register (NPR). Women constitute nearly 50% of India’s population, and this opposition is based on clear evidence from our own lives.”
CPI leader Annie Raja is quote in the official release as having highlighted the fact that “women often do not have land or property in their names, have lower literacy rates, and leave their natal homes upon marriage with no documents in tow.” As such, they are particularly vulnerable to any citizenship regime that puts focus on landownership.
Also read: Exclusive: Official File Notings on NPR and Aadhaar Contradict Home Ministry Assurances
Calling the NRC-NPR exercise a frightening example, activist Farah Naqvi identified “women and children from Adivasi communities, Dalit women, Muslim women, migrant labourers, small farmers, the landless, domestic workers, sex workers and transgender persons,” as those at particular risk.
Social activist Anjali Bhardwaj highlighted Section 14 A of the Citizenship Act, and the accompanying 2003 Rules, “which clearly provide for using NPR data to compile the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC), and give local registrars the power to mark people as ‘doubtful citizens’.” She said Union home minister Amit Shah’s March 12 statement in parliament that no one will be marked “doubtful” as a citizen in the process, “carries no legal sanctity until the relevant statutes and rules are formally amended.”
The Census process is almost upon the country; it is set to begin on April 1. Two states, Kerala and West Bengal, have issued executive orders staying the NPR process. However, the signatories asked for executive orders to signify the resolutions taken against the CAA, NPR and NRC by several states in India.
Letter to CMs on NPR by Khabri Baba on Scribd