Uddhav Thackeray backs CAA, NPR; Pawar disappointed

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, February 18

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday told reporters that his government would not block data collection for the National Population Register (NPR) in Maharashtra.

Addressing a press conference at Sindhudurg, Thackeray said the NPR was very different from the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

“The NPR is different from the NRC. It is part of the census. It happens every ten years,” Thackeray told reporters. The chief minister, however, said that his government would not support the NRC. “Not just Muslims, but Hindus and even Adivasis will suffer if NRC is implemented,” Thackeray said.

The chief minister further added that he would “personally check the columns” in the NPR to allay fears of the people.

Thackeray further added that the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act would not affect anyone in India.

“No one has to worry if the CAA gets implemented,” Thackeray said.

Shortly after Thackeray’s press conference, Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said he would discuss the matter with the chief minister so that all the three parties that are part of the Maharashtra government take the same stand.

“We will convince the Sena,” Pawar said.

He added that the three parties should stick to the Common Minimum Programme and focus on governing the state.