'There will be no problem due to CAA, NRC in Maharashtra,' says Ajit Pawar

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Shiv Sena, differing from their alliance partner --- Congress --- have opined that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will not harm anybody in Maharashtra.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Monday said that there should not be any problem for citizens of Maharashtra because of the CAA. He further opined that the states who passed an anti-CAA resolution are ruled by one party, calling it a reason for their aggressive stance against the Act.

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"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 qouted by ANI.

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States with Anti-CAA resolution

Kerala was the first state to pass the resolution against the CAA in its state Assembly in a bid to pressurize the Centre to revoke the law. Echoing similar sentiments, Congress-ruled states such as Rajasthan and Punjab followed Kerala’s footsteps and passed the anti-CAA resolution in their state Assemblies.

West Bengal ruled by Mamata Banerjee led Trinamool Congress (TMC) passed the anti-CAA resolution and became the fourth state to do so. She has been a fierce critic of the Act and the proposed NRC. The West Bengal chief minister has time and again reiterated that she won’t allow the CAA and the proposed NRC to be implemented in her state. 

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Congress' U-Turn

Congress-ruled states have passed anti-CAA resolution in their state Assemblies, despite being in favor of the Act in the past. Congress leader and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke for providing citizenship to minorities of neighbouring 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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