Chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday urged citizens of Maharashtra to maintain peace while protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
He appealed to people to protest in a democratic way and refrain from dishonouring Maharashtra. “Take out morchas and conduct meetings, but please don’t disturb the peace. I request all legislators to take my appeal to their constituencies and ensure peace and safety of people,” he said.
In a statement in the Assembly, Thackeray said: “No one can take away anyone’s constitutional rights.”
The law, which was notified on December 13, enables grant of speedier citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, if they leave their countries owing to religious persecution. It has met with protests from all parts of the country. At least 20,000 Mumbaiites from different walks of life came together at the August Kranti Maidan on Thursday afternoon to raise their voice against the CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). The city witnessed protests in Thane, Dadar, Kurla and Bhiwandi on Friday too.
A delegation of protesters met the CM in Nagpur on Friday evening. “When I met a delegation a while ago, I understood that certain people have misunderstood CAA. It was like a poison which I managed to detoxify. They feel they would be driven out of their homes and this country. But I dispelled their misunderstanding and told them that the Act wasn’t yet scrutinised and verified by the court. I have assured them that the Maharashtra government was powerful enough to protect them and no person or family of any faith, caste and creed would be driven away,” he said, in the Assembly.