NCP confused? Pawar's party issues opposing stances on CAA, claims Uddhav's hands tied

The NCP third of the Maha Vikas Aghadi seemingly has a difference of opinion over the issue of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). NCP leader and state Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik on Tuesday has declared that NRC will not be implemented in Maharashtra but if any proposal or resolution comes then all three parties will first discuss the proposal and then make a decision.

Malik added that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has said that they will not implement CAA and NRC, further opining that no single party would take a call on the issue of CAA and NRC.

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Nawab Malik contradicts Ajit Pawar

Interestingly, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday maintained that CM Uddhav Thackeray thinks there should not be any problem in Maharashtra concerning the CAA or the proposed NRC. The Deputy CM further opined that the states which passed an anti-CAA resolution are ruled by one party, calling it a reason for their aggressive stance against the Act.

"States like Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan and West Bengal have passed resolutions against the Citizenship Amendment Act. They are ruled by one party, unlike Maharashtra. Our Chief Minister (Uddhav Thackeray) said there should be no problem for anyone in the state due to CAA and NRC. We are of this opinion," Pawar said as quoted by ANI.

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Besides the issue of the CAA or the NRC, opposing views in Maha Vikas Aghadi have come to the fore over several other issues since the formation of the tri-partite government in the state was constituted. Ideologically opposite alliance partners Shiv Sena and the Congress have time and again given contrasting statements on conferring Bharat Ratna to freedom fighter Veer Savarkar. The Sena idolizes Savarkar while the Congress calls him a traitor. Sena has supported the decision of the central government conferring Padma Shri to singer Adnan Sami, which has been opposed by NCP and Congress.

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Congress has outright opposed the CAA and the NRC despite being in favour of the idea in the past. Congress leader and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke for providing citizenship to minorities of neighboring countries in the 2003 Rajya Sabha session. In 2018 manifesto, the Congress, ahead of Rajasthan elections had stated that the party will work towards providing facilities including citizenship and rehabilitation to Pakistan displaced refugees who have been living in India.

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