Uddhav Thackeray backs CAA, ‘opposes’ NRC

Mumbai, Feb 02: Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray reiterated that he is not against the amended citizenship law, but would oppose the two other exercises that revolve around citizenship - the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the National Population Register (NPR).

The Citizenship Act is not about taking away citizenship, it is about giving citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring nations, Uddhav Thackeray said in an interview to Saamna.

"Proving citizenship will be difficult for both Hindus and Muslims. I will not let that happen," he added.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government of the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress, which are part of along with the Shiv Sena, are opposed to the CAA and want the state government to adopt a resolution against the law.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act for the first time makes religion the test of citizenship in India. The government says it will help minorities from three Muslim-dominated countries to get citizenship if they fled to India before 2015 because of religious persecution.

The country has seen protests across the states against the CAA, NRC and NPR. Critics say it is designed to discriminate against Muslims and violates the secular principles of the constitution.