Maha CM Uddhav Thackeray changes track post-Sonia meeting, raises doubts about CAA and NPR

A few minutes after meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray made a big U-turn on his stance on Citizenship Amendment Act and National Population Register. Apart from Maharashtra CM, his son Aaditya, party MP Sanjay Raut and senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge were also present in meeting with Sonia Gandhi. In a series of tweets, Thackeray made statements that seemed to contradict some of his remarks in press briefing post his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.  

‘If NPR seems problematic, we won’t take it ahead’  

In press conference, Thackeray had asserted that NPR was a regular exercise like census. However, writing on Twitter, he added a significant caveat. According to him, Maharashtra government would t allow NPR in state if new columns proposed in NPR forms were found to be problematic after scrutiny. This is first time that Shiv Sena has hinted at possibility of t implementing NPR.

Read: After Meeting PM Modi, CM Uddhav Thackeray Defies Allies Congress-NCP On CAA, NRC & NPR

‘Implementation, practicality and settlement’  

Thackeray made a significant departure from his assertion that individual needed to worry about CAA. On Twitter, he used word ‘seems’ before saying that legislation wouldn’t take away anyone’s citizenship, hinting at a lack of clarity on subject. Moreover, Maharashtra CM cast aspersion over implementation and practicality of CAA.  

Read: After PM Modi, Uddhav Thackeray Meets LK Advani Along With Aaditya & Sanjay Raut

U-turn by Shiv Sena

Such flip-flops by Shiv Sena have been witnessed repeatedly since formation of Maha Vikas Aghadi government in vember 2019. After breaking alliance with BJP over issue of rotational CM post, Sena has been perceived to have compromised on its core ideological beliefs due to alleged pressure from its new allies Congress and NCP. While Thackeray openly went against NCP’s demand in Elgar Parishad case, he has avoided antagonising  Congress party.

For instance, Maharashtra CM refused to take a categorical position on Rahul Gandhi’s insulting reference to freedom fighter Veer Savarkar. During recent interview with Saamana, Thackeray also refused to comment on Congress leader Ashok Chavan’s astonishing claim that his party formed government on instruction of mirity community. Furrmore, fact that Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray directed people to view his far’s tweets instead of video of press conference, indicates that Sena wanted to recalibrate its position on CAA and NPR.  

Read: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray & Minister Aaditya Meet PM Modi At 7LKM In Delhi

Read: 'He Should Understand Coalition Dharma': Cong's Renuka Chowdhury On Uddhav's CAA Remarks