Maharashtra government gives extension to cabinet sub-committee on CAA-NPR till May 31

The Maharashtra government has decided to give an extension of six months to the cabinet sub-committee formed to study the controversial citizenship laws — Citizenship

The Maharashtra government has decided to give an extension of six months to the cabinet sub-committee formed to study the controversial citizenship laws — Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). The committee will now have to submit its report to the chief minister Uddhav Thackeray by May 31, 2021.

People from nomadic tribes and other communities participated in a protest rally against a new citizenship laws at Azad Maidan, in Mumbai. (HT FILE)

The committee has got a second extension this time. After being constituted on March 13, it was asked to submit its report on March 30, but the state was hit by the Covid-19, hence it was given the first extension of eight months till November 30.

“Since the cabinet sub-committee was formed, the state struggled with the pandemic and saving the lives of the people was our first priority. We could hold just one meeting before the lockdown was imposed and later could not follow up the discussion,” a senior minister, who is also a member of the committee, said on conditions of anonymity.

“The Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) too communicated to the state on March 25 that they have decided to postpone the process of NPR till further orders, owing to the Covid-19 outbreak,” said a senior official from the state home department, requesting anonymity.

Thackeray had supported CAA, NPR, but has termed NRC as problematic. “NPR is proposed along with the census. It happened in 2010 too. Census happens after every 10 years in our country. If there are new columns proposed in the NPR, they will be scrutinised by our government and if it seems problematic, we won’t take it ahead,” he said.

“There is no need to be afraid of CAA, as it is not going to strip anyone’s citizenship. CAA will give citizenship to Hindus from the neighbouring countries. NRC is problematic to every citizen, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, any which way. I won’t allow stripping of anyone’s rights,” Thackeray has said.

Members of the panel comprise Anil Parab and Uday Samant from Shiv Sena; Nawab Malik and Jitendra Awhad from the Nationalist Congress Party; and Sunil Kedar and Vijay Wadettiwar from the Congress.