Mumbai: The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) on Thursday stated that the state government must take a stand on the issue of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) urgently before the Centre implements it in Maharashtra.
“Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray needs to take a firm stand on the CAA. The government comprises three parties, comments on CAA had only been made at the party level, whereas the government has not given out a statement clearing its stand,” said Arun Sawant, the VBA spokesperson.
Earlier, the Shiv Sena had supported the CAA in the Lok Sabha, however, it staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha.
Sawant further stated that though Uddhav assured that CAA would not be implemented in the state, he has not taken any constitutional step to oppose the amendment.
“Uddhav Thackeray said the CAA will not be implemented in Maharashtra. In Kerala, a resolution was passed opposing the CAA, but Uddhav has not taken any action in the winter session of the state assembly,” added Sawant.
The VBA spokesperson further stated that his party will hold demonstrations across the state to raise awareness about the CAA alongside, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) among the backward-class people in the state.
Earlier on December 26, the VBA held a grand rally led by party chief Prakash Ambedkar at the Dadar terminus, registering a protest, which witnessed a huge crowd.
“A large number of people turned up in the December 26 rally. To reach out to a larger base of people, we will hold further demonstrations in various parts of Maharashtra,” Sawant told the media at a press conference.
He claimed that 40 per cent of Maharashtrians comprise tribal communities, who do not have valid documents to prove their citizenship.
Thus, to raise awareness about the passed amendments, the VBA aims to hold demonstrations which will establish a two-way communication. Later, the party would take forward people's grievances to the chief minister of the state.
“We had met chief minister Uddhav Thackeray two weeks back. He gave us his consent that we may express our dissent to CAA through protests, but there shouldn't be any law and order situation,” Sawant stated.
