HYDERABAD: Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday wondered why CAA, NRC and NPR were being forced on citizens. He wanted to know where he would get his father’s birth certificate when he himself didn't possess one.

Speaking in the state assembly, the chief minister said he did not have a birth certificate and the village (Chintamadaka) where he was born had no hospital then. Also, there was no issue birth certificates in those days. “Should I die if I am asked to bring my father’s birth certificate when I myself don’t have one?” 66-year-old KCR wondered.

He said since there were no hospitals, priests would write ‘janma namam’ (birth star), which was considered as a birth certificate in those days which, however, carried no official seal. The chief minister recalled when he was born, their family used to own 580 acres of agricultural land and a huge building in the village. “When I cannot produce my own birth certificate, what would be the fate of the poor people, Dalits and STs. If they ask for all these details now, where will one get them?” he sought to know.

The chief minister said the Constitution guarantees equal rights to people of this country irrespective of their religion, caste and creed. “The Act is against the spirit of the Constitution. How can you discriminate a particular religion?” he asked referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act. “No civilised society will accept a law which keeps out people of one particular religion,” he said, drawing a huge round of applause from the members.

The chief minister said the image of the country had taken a beating globally. “This (CAA, NRC and NPR) is an issue connected with India’s reputation before the world.” He said the issue was being discussed at the United Nations and various world bodies. “We are a part of this country and we will not keep quiet. We will respond and do what best we can in our own limits,” KCR said.

He said CAA and NPR were among the most important issues that could have ramifications on the future generations, social fabric of this country and future of India also. “It is a serious issue. More than 50 people have died in Delhi. There are lots of doubts about these Acts and let us not create more tension. Let us discuss it in the assembly,” he said.

He said every political party has a stand on the issue. “Whether the Centre agrees or not, as a state, we will send our views and mood of the people in the form of a resolution to the central government,” the chief minister said, while advising BJP MLA T Raja Singh and AIMIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi that the House would take up a discussion on CAA separately and that they should confine their speeches to the motion of thanks to the governor’s address on Friday.

Earlier, Akbaruddin urged the Delhi government to extend help to the families of those who have died in the riots and whose properties had been damaged. He also said the Centre was not giving Telangana its share in terms of devolution of funds and the chief minister stood up stating that he was speaking the truth.

