CM dilutes stance on NPR, says will form panel to study details

Two days after supporting the proposed National Population Register (NPR) in the capital, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray took a step back on Sunday, saying a high-power

Two days after supporting the proposed National Population Register (NPR) in the capital, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray took a step back on Sunday, saying a high-power committee comprising members of all three ruling parties of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government would study the NPR before any decision on its implementation in the state.

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The CM also clarified that he had not handed over the Elgar Parishad probe to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and insisted that the decision was taken by the Centre without consulting the state government.

“I do not see anything objectionable in the NPR, but we will check if only relevant information has been sought under it. A committee of three senior members will study it,” said Thackeray, while speaking to the media on the eve of the budget session of the state legislature. “By transferring the probe to the NIA, the Centre showed distrust in state agencies. We have expressed our discontent,” he said.

There is a rift between ruling allies, the Sena, Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), on the CAA, NPR and Elgar Parishad probe. Thackeray’s statements are seen as a balancing act to avoid embarrassment in the session. He said even though the NPR and its contents were decided by the Centre, citizens can decide how to live.

The CM said the three ruling parties were on the same page on the NPR. He, however, maintained his stance on the CAA that the law did not take away any one’s citizenship and there was no need to fear it.

Leader of Opposition in the legislative Assembly and former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, however, said the NPR would be rolled out under the Central law, along with the census. “This is a stringent law and it cannot be challenged. The census department of the government will decide the questions and format. If hurdles are created in its implementation, one can even face criminal proceedings.”

Thackeray also taunted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the violence during the anti-CAA protests in states such as Uttar Pradesh and Delhi. “The protests against the CAA have been staged in Maharashtra very peacefully, unlike the states where the law and order is the responsibility of the BJP. The attack on the JNU students in Delhi was no less than a terror attack,” he said.

Thackeray softened his stand on the NPR reportedly after the Congress and NCP openly expressed their unhappiness over his statement. A day after he announced support for the NPR, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and deputy chief minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar met Thackeray and reportedly asserted their opinion on the issue. Congress leader Manish Tewari tweeted on Friday that Thackeray needs to be briefed about the CAA and NPR. “Thackeray needed to understand how NPR was the basis of NRC. Once you do NPR, you cannot stop NRC,” he wrote.

Thackeray rubbished Fadnavis’s remarks that the MVA government had failed in addressing farmers’ issues. He said that Fadnavis’s party was not able to digest the good performance of his government.

When asked about the BJP’s demand for a resolution in honour of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Thackeray said the BJP should not assert that their Hindutva is the only Hindutva. “They should not teach us Hindutva and pride for Savarkar. When a memorial plaque bearing Savarkar’s name in the cellular jail in Andaman was removed, BJP’s Ram Kapse was the governor there. Did the BJP ask him to resign,” he asked.

Responding to Thackeray’s statement on anti-CAA protests, Maharashtra BJP said: “When the tukde tukde gang knows that no action will be taken against them by the Thackeray government, why will they create any riots in the state. The government even allowed Azad Kashmir banner to unfurl at Gateway of India. Despite this there was stone pelting in agitations in Beed, Parbhani, Nanded etc.”

Meanwhile, the Thackeray government announced rollout of the loan waiver scheme for farmers from Monday. Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said the first list of 20,000 farmers from 68 villages in 34 districts will be announced in the first phase on Monday. He said the second phase will be announced on February 28 and will have more farmers as beneficiaries.