In a move that would bring his party closer to the BJP, MNS chief Raj Thackeray not only came out in full support of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Citizens Register (NRC), but also warned those behind recent morchas against CAA and NRC that his party would henceforth give them a “stone for stone and sword for sword” response.
After flips flops that initially saw him extend an indirect support to the Centre on CAA and NRC and later backtrack a bit on the issue, Raj went full throttle in support of the two controversial laws, by handing out a warning in a colloquial manner to those who have so far taken out morchas against the two controversial laws.
“Today, we have responded to your morchas with our morcha. If you (those opposing the CAA and NRC) indulge in more nataks in future, then we will respond to you in a Rs stone for stone and sword for sword’ manner. You do not get in any other country the kind of freedom you get in India. Better live in harmony. Why are you out to destroy the country that has given you everything,” the MNS chief said.
Thousands of people had turned out for the morcha taken out by the MNS from P J Hindu Gymkhana to Azad Maidan in south Mumbai to demand immediate deportation of illegal Muslim immigrants settled across the country. The MNS workers from different parts of the state, including Thane, Nashik, Pune, Solapur and Aurangabad participated in the morcha. Interestingly, there were some Muslims in the morcha as well.
Addressing a massive public rally at Azad Maidan, Raj urged the Centre to implement CAA and the proposed NRC speedily. “The patriotic Muslims – especially those living in Maharashtrq – should be vigilant about what is going on around them and tell us about these things... Be it CAA or NRC, the Centre should take immediate steps to implement them. If the Centre is saying that it has no plans to bring NRC now, it will have to implement the law someday. The country needs to get rid of all illegal immigrants someday”.
“The Indian Government should become more stringent in dealing with these illegal immigrants. Today’s morcha is to give warning to the government in the Government in this regard,” Raj said.
Defending the proposed NRC, the MNS chief said: “India is no dharmashala where anyone can come from any country and live her3e. Yes we have many other pressing issues in the country. But, the need for removal of illegal immigrants is also main issue. Let’s face it, India has not taken upon itself the responsibility of taking humanitarian aspects involving the illegal immigrants. In other countries, there are stringent laws in dealing with immigrants. In other countries, there are only two options for the illegal immigrants – either go back to your country or we will put you behind the bars”.
Raj’s open support to CAA and proposed NRC should be seen in the context of the fact that the MNS has been trying to occupy the space vacated by the Shiv Sena after the Uddhav Thackeray-led party joined hands with the NCP and Congress to form a government in the state and the meeting he had with former chief minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis last month.
Though his comments will definitely endear him to the BJP, Raj himself sought to underplay the import of his support to CAA and NRC. “There have been occasions when the Modi Government erred, I criticised it. Whenever it did a good thing, I supported. For instance, on the issues of abrogation of Article 370, the Supreme Court’s judgement on the Ram temple and Modi’s announcement about the setting up a temple trust. But, when I criticised the BJP, I was dubbed as Modi critic, when I appreciated the Government’s good work, I was called a supporter. Is there something there or not in between the two positions I have taken?,” he
asked.
Earlier, recalling that at a rally held on August 31, 2012 he had displayed the passport of a Bangladesh that had been found abandoned after the rioting that took place 20 days earlier, Raj said: “If you remember that someone had brought and given me a passport of a Bangladeshi which was found at the Azad Maidan after a riot witnessed there.
The passport showed only the entry to India of Bangladeshi concerned. After that I made enquiries, I found that from Bangladesh alone, 2 crore people had illegally migrated into our country. We have absolutely no idea as to how many people might have come from Pakistan and Nepal”
Making as strong case for the immediate deportation of illegal immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh, Raj said: “There should be absolutely no comprise on throwing out illegal immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh. Many people do not know anything CAA. They exchange messages and discuss the law on whatsApp. The Citizenship law came into existence in 1955. At that time, the situation was different. Today in 2020, the satiation is entirely different”.
Earlier in the afternoon, Raj Thackeray’s son Amit—who was launched into active politics at a party convention held last month --- walked along with thousands of party workers in the morcha from PJ Hindu Gymkhana to Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. Today’s was the first occasion when Amit Thackeray had participated in such a morcha.