THACKERAY SAYS NO NRC IN MAHA, BUT DEFENDS CAA
MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that he will not allow the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be implemented in the state but also defended the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), saying it is not about taking away anyone’s rights. Thackeray’s backing of the new citizenship law comes even as other constituents of the Maharashtra coalition government, the Congress and the NCP – have vehemently opposed the amendment to the law. “CAA is not a law to remove anybody from the country,” he says.
MUMBAI:Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that he will not allow the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be implemented in the state but also defended the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) saying “it is not about taking away citizenship rights” from anyone.
Thackeray’s backing of the Citizenship Act may create issues in the coalition government in Maharashtra. The Congress and NCP — Sena’s new alliance partners — have already opposed the amendment.
In a short video clip of an interview with Shiv Sena mouthpiece Saamana, Thackeray said the amendment in the Citizenship Act is not about taking away citizenship. “CAA is not a law to remove anybody from the country,” Thackeray is seen responding to Sena leader and Saamana editor, Sanjay Raut in the promotional video clip of the interview uploaded on micro-blogging website Twitter.
However, talking about the NRC ,the chief minister said, “Proving citizenship will be difficult for both Hindus and Muslims. I will not let that happen.”
The first part of the three-part interview will appear on Monday in ‘Saamana’.
The Shiv Sena had backed the Citizenship Amendment Bill when it was tabled in the Lok Sabha in December 2019. However, after the Congress leadership expressed unhappiness over Sena’s stance, the party did not back the Bill in Rajya Sabha.
Sena MPs, including Raut, walked out ahead of the voting on the Bill in the Upper House. Subsequently, the Sena mouthpiece had slammed the Narendra Modigovernment on the CAA and NRC stating that it had led to countywide protests.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said he does not consider Thackeray’s views on the CAA as that of the state government. “It may be his personal opinion. Besides, we should wait for the Supreme Court order on the petition to challenge the law..,” he said.
“In the past, we have seen that the Sena has changed their position owing to pressure from the Congress. Let us see if the CM remains firm on backing the CAA. With regard to the NRC, there is no draft of NRC yet,” said Keshav Upadhye, Maharashtra BJP spokesperson.