190 Economists, Social Scientists Call for Delinking NPR and Census 2021
New Delhi: As many as 190 economists and social scientists have demanded complete delinking of NPR with Census 2021 as also junking data collection for the proposed National Population Register (NPR) for now.
In a joint statement issued here on Thursday, the signatories, including Prof Amiya Kumar Bagchi, A K Shivakumar, Prabhat Patnaik, Sunanda Sen, Utsa Patnaik, among others, said linking the two could have “serious implications” for the Indian statistical system.
The statement expressed concern that collection of Census data, which was important for policy-making at the Central and state-level, should be “absolutely safe, comprehensive and uncontaminated,” by any other factor. It cited the growing “mistrust” and “fear” among citizens over being declared ‘doubtful’ citizens.
“Conducting NPR along with the Census also violates Clause 15 of The Census Act 1948 that bars anyone from accessing “any book, register or record made by a census-officer in the discharge of his duty”,” the statement read.
The concerns expressed by economists and social scientists come in the backdrop of several Opposition-ruled states refusing to implement the National Population Register (NPR), also citing ‘mistrust’ and ‘fear’ among citizens, especially the minorities, and terming the exercise of linking the two as “divisive” and “unconstitutional.”
Read the full statement here.
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