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Now, Shiv Sena puts riders to support bill in Rajya Sabha
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray attacked his party’s former ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and said the ruling party in New Delhi is not the only one concerned about the well-being of the country.
The Shiv Sena made its second U-turn in two days over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, or CAB. The party, which was widely expected to oppose the bill, supported it in the Lok Sabha on Monday; on Tuesday, though, its chief and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said his party will not back the bill in the Rajya Sabha unless the government gives “clarity” on questions the party has raised.
The bill that was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. Thackeray said queries raised by his party were not answered by Union home minister Amit Shah in the Lok Sabha on Monday. He also attacked his party’s former ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party, and said the ruling party in New Delhi is not the only one concerned about the well-being of the country.
“We voted yesterday to absorb various people facing brutalities in other countries but we have asked many questions. Those questions we thought would be answered, ranging from national security to the rights of locals in various states of India. If these queries are not answered, we won’t be supporting the CAB in the Rajya Sabha. Every party supporting or opposing it is asking for clarity in the national interest. Clarity must be ensured,” he said in Mumbai.
In a veiled jibe at the BJP, Thackeray said, “There is an atmosphere being created in the country that voting for whatever [bills that] the ruling party brings in the Lok Sabha is nationalism and opposing it is anti-national. Firstly, everyone should come out of that illusion.”
During the debate in the Lok Sabha on Monday, Sena MPs raised questions on the inclusion of refugees from Sri Lanka along with those from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. It also suggested that those given citizenship under the bill should not get voting rights for 25 years.
Thackeray reiterated that the “issues faced by common man”, such as rising onion prices and unemployment should be looked into by the Centre first. “Nobody needs to tell Shiv Sena what to do. We are not the kind who follow or unfollow people blindly. The country is still reeling under the effects of demonetisation.”
