The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra may take a cue from the resolution passed by Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar, which is in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to not implement National Register of Citizenship (NRC) and to implement National Population Register (NPR) without changing the format of 2010.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has already announced that Maharashtra will not implement NRC in Maharashtra. He has also announced that no controversial columns in the NPR will be allowed.

Congress delegation

A delegation of Congress legislators, led by former MLA and senior party leader Naseem Khan, held a meeting with Mr. Thackeray on Thursday demanding that a resolution on the lines of Bihar government be bought in the Assembly. “The BJP is in power in Bihar. The party did not oppose the same there. It is clear that the party cannot have double standards and oppose the resolution in Maharashtra,” said Mr. Khan.

Irrespective of what the BJP says or does, he added that it is important that all three parties in the MVA are unanimous on NRC and NPR. “We don’t want NPR. We want only census to be conducted here. We have demanded that a resolution on this line be brought in the ongoing Budget session of the State legislature,” he said.

After the meeting which lasted for over 25 minutes, Mr. Thackeray conveyed that he is positive over the demand.

According to sources within the Sena, the Bihar resolution has eased the way for the government. “It has weakened the BJP’s stand on these issues. The government is seriously thinking along these lines and a resolution pushing the same can be brought in this session itself,” said a senior Sena leader.

The NCP too on Thursday clarified that the party will not let NRC be implemented in Maharashtra and no additional controversial questions, compared to what was in the 2010 NPR, will be allowed.

“As far as implementation of Citizenship Amendment Act is concerned, the State has no role in it. Centre is solely responsible for the same. Why should we implement the CAA at a time when the authority to implement it stands with the central government?” asked Mr. Malik.