SHILLONG: The influential Khasi Students’ Union has petitioned Chief Minister Mukul Sangma asking the State government to put on hold the enrolment for National Population Register (NPR) in the State.
In a memorandum submitted to the chief minister, KSU president Daniel Khyriem said the Union along with other social organization had, in a previous meeting with the chief minister, aired their grievances against the hasty move of the government to go ahead with the proposal since there will be a possibility of inclusion of non-genuine citizens in the enrolment drive.
“The State government and the social organizations had deliberated at length on the issue and agreed to put on hold the programme till further notice. In addition the government had agreed that prior to the implementation of the NPR extensive awareness programmes would be conducted at all levels to sensitize the public on the objective of the proposed biometric enrolment for NPR,” Khyriem said. However, despite verbal and written assurance from the chief minister, there have been instances in certain pockets of the State where biometric enrolment for NPR was carried out clandestinely without organising any awareness campaign on the issue thereby making a mockery of the decision taken during the meeting between the two parties, he added.
“The Union urges the government to exercise the resolutions adopted in the said meeting and refrain from carrying out any further enrolment for NPR in any part of the State which is a clear violation of the resolutions adopted in the said meeting,” he said.