Cong MLA launches ''will not show papers'' campaign in Bhopal

An MLA of the ruling Congress in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday launched a campaign to protest

against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) and

asking people not to show documents to prove nationality. Arif Masood, the Congress MLA from Bhopal (Central),

launched the campaign named Samvidhan bachayenge, kagaz nahin dikhayenge (will save the Constitution and not show

documents). As part of the campaign, Masood's supporters have

stuck pamphlets on the doors of homes in Bapu Colony, which falls under his assembly constituency, asking people not to

show papers to prove citizenship and "save" the Constitution. The pamphlets also have the message No NRC, NO NPR

and NO CAA". Masood said this campaign would cover the entire

Bhopal and then other parts of the state. We will also hold meetings with people to create

awareness against the CAA, NRC and NPR, Masood said in a statement.

The Congress leader said the CAA-NRC-NPR processes are against the Constitution drafted by B R Ambedkar and claimed

people from all religions are participating in his campaign. Earlier this week, Masood had threatened to protest

against the party-led government's "decision" to update the NPR.

After his threat, the Congress government had asserted there is no move "at present" to undertake the proposed NPR

update exercise in the state. After the Centre enacted the CAA in December, Masood

had threatened to resign as a legislator if the Congress government did not reject the contentious citizenship law as

well as the proposed country-wide NRC. Chief Minister Kamal Nath had later announced that the

amended Citizenship Act would not be implemented in the state. Nath had also taken out a protest rally against the

CAA, which seeks to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

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