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Opposition meets today over CAA, NPR, economy: All you need to know
All Opposition parties had been active in opposing the CAA and NRC. But this is the first time that they are meeting in a bid to formulate a joint strategy.
The Opposition has called the meeting on Monday to chalk out a joint strategy on how to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Citizenship (Amendment) Act or CAA, National Register of Citizens (NRC) and economic situation of the country. The meeting may also discuss National Population Register (NPR).
All Opposition parties had been active in opposing the CAA and NRC. But this is the first time that they are meeting in a bid to formulate a joint strategy.
Also read: Opposition meet today to ‘aggressively counter’ government on CAA, economy
The Opposition unity, however, has already suffered a big blow as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has opted out of the meeting. The AAP and BSP too have refused to participate in the meeting.
The Congress, Left parties, DMK, RJD, JMM, NCP, Samajwadi Party and some smaller parties are expected to brainstorm ways to take on the BJP-led central government at the meeting.
The meeting has been called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi. This is possibly the first high-level Opposition meeting after the 2019 general elections.
The gathering of the different political parties is significant. They will try to show that even if they are numerically down in front of the BJP-led NDA in Parliament, they are coming together as an Opposition bloc to throw a challenge to the BJP.
The meeting will see a joint statement demanding a complete withdrawal of the CAA.
It is yet to be seen if the Congress-ruled states take a cue from West Bengal and Kerala and announce that CAA and NPR will not be allowed in their states. So far, the Congress-ruled states are silent on taking an administrative position on the issue.
The meeting will start at 2 pm.
The government has formally rolled out CAA on January 10, a month after Parliament cleared the bill. But Opposition leaders said that it would not affect their stand on the issue.
So far, the protests against CAA and NRC had been more spontaneous in nature and led by common people. The Opposition parties may plan on how to take the protests forward.
