Akali Dal demands release of J&K MP Farooq Abdullah

NEW DELHI: At the NDA parliamentary party meeting on the first day of the budget session on Friday, Shiromani Akali Dal’s Rajya Sabha MP Balwinder Singh Bhunder demanded that National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah be released considering his age and health.

Abdullah has been under detention since August 5, when the Centre withdrew Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir and divided the state into two Union territories. In December, his detention was extended by three more months.

JDU MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lalan Singh, demanded caste census for clarity on the population of different groups. “Caste census hasn’t been done since 1931. I demanded that the government should include caste in this round of census. It gives you a clear idea of population and the social strata of various castes among OBCs, SCs and STs. Accordingly, it can help the government prepare targeted schemes,” Lalan Singh told ET.


Both the parties also demanded that part two of the NPR form, which asks for parents’ dates of birth along with other information, be dropped. During the meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a patient hearing to the suggestions.

“Any form that creates fear, anxiety and mistrust among the poor of any community should not be continued with,” SAD Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral told ET. Gujral wasn’t present in the meeting. Lalan Singh said many people don’t have any proof of their parents’ dates of birth. Currently, the government has made it optional for anyone to provide these details.

“If it is optional, then why should it be there to create confusion? Let’s drop it. This is what I suggested in the meeting,” Lalan Singh said. Home minister Amit Shah said that a small line would be added at the end saying ‘this part of the form is invalid’. Lalan Singh insisted that part two should be completely deleted.

The home minister assured the parties of another meeting in the next few days. Shah also said that NPR will start in April