CM backs citizenship law: Another hurdle looms for MVA govt

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) may become the latest stumbling block for the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government — comprising Shiv Sena, Nationalist

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) may become the latest stumbling block for the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government — comprising Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress — with the Sena backing the law and the Congress stridently opposing it.

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In an interview to his party Sena’s mouthpiece, Saamana, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray backed the CAA, saying it did not take away anyone’s citizenship, although he said there continued to be “misunderstandings’’ about the law. However, the CM slammed the proposed pan-India National Register of Citizens (NRC) and ruled out its implementation in the state. He said the NRC would impact all religions alike. The NCP is opposed to both CAA and NRC, but has backed Thackeray’s statement on the citizenship law.

“CAA is not to remove anyone from the country. Amit Shah has said that it is to give citizenship. And I agree with it to that extent. It is to give citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries and not to remove anyone,” said Thackeray.

He, however, questioned why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government had not clarified where and how these minorities will live or get assimilated in India. “Why hasn’t the country been told about how many such minorities or Hindus will come from the neighbouring countries? Where will they live after they come here? What about their livelihood and the education of their children? There are already issues of housing, admission of students, employment here. Will the government build homes in Kashmir, now that [article] 370 is repealed,” Thackeray asked.

BJThe Congress reacted to Thackeray’s statement on CAA with state energy minister Nitin Raut saying that his party had already passed its resolution to oppose the CAA and the state unit carries the opinion. “We differ from Thackeray’s opinion on the act and no such decision has been taken by the MVA government. Supporting CAA is a matter of survival for Sena. He must have spoken as the party chief,” he said.

Former CM and current public works minister Ashok Chavan said that CAA had not been discussed with other ruling partners and would come up for discussion during a co-ordination committee meeting of the three parties. He said, “I do not know what Raut has said. but we have not discussed the issue with other ruling partners.’’

If Congress was keen on a resolution against CAA in the state budget session, which has also been ruled out by Thackeray now.

Many non-BJP states, including West Bengal, Kerala, and some Congress-ruled states, have passed a resolution against the citizenship law.

“There is no need for a resolution to be passed in Assembly against CAA. I reiterate through CAA nobody will be removed from their homes,’’ Thackeray said.

The Sena had initially backed CAA in the Lok Sabha, but had abstained from voting in its favour in the Rajya Sabha. The NCP backed the CM. “We are against CAA and it has been clarified by our party chief Sharad Pawar immediately after it was passed in the parliament. What CM Thackeray says is right. Though we are against the law, its implementation is not in the state government’s purview. But we have assured that nobody in the state will be deprived of the citizenship. We will oppose NRC, if imposed by the Centre,” said NCP spokesperson and minorities minister Nawab Malik.

The BJP took this opportunity to point out the ideological dissonance between the allies with the state party president Chandrakant Patil even predicting mid-term polls for the state. “There is a likelihood of mid-term polls in the state in December. If this government falls, we would prefer to contest polls instead of going for an alliance with anyone,’’ said Patil.

He also cautioned Thackeray about Congress’s conspiracy to take Sena away from Hindutva. “The Congress is taking the Sena away from Hindutva and the MNS is being allowed to fill the Hindutva space as part of a conspiracy. The CM should understand this plan,” he said.