After voting in favour of the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 in Lok Sabha yesterday, Shiv Sena seems to have buckled under the pressure of their coalition partner Congress as Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray has declared that he will not extend his support to the CAB until “things are cleared”.
Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray: We will not give support to the Bill (Citizenship Amendment Bill) unless things are clear. pic.twitter.com/v06hdA0W9O
— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2019
This volte-face from the Maharashtra chief minister came following senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s blistering criticism of the parties who support the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019. In a tweet posted by the Wayanad MP, he asserted that anyone who supports it is attacking and attempting to destroy the foundation of our nation.
The #CAB is an attack on the Indian constitution. Anyone who supports it is attacking and attempting to destroy the foundation of our nation.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) December 10, 2019
However, earlier today, when Shiv Sena MP Arvind Sawant was asked if the party will extend its support to the CAB in Rajya Sabha as well, he replied in the affirmative, stating that Shiv Sena will always support issues of National Interest.
Arvind Sawant, Shiv Sena on if the party will support CAB (Citizenship Amendment Bill) in Rajya Sabha after supporting it in Lok Sabha: Alag alag bhumika hoti kya humari? Rashtra ki hith ki bhumika lekar Shiv Sena khadi rehti hain, yeh kisi ki monopoly nahi hai. pic.twitter.com/9c3wHW6Uj5
— ANI (@ANI) December 10, 2019
It is noteworthy to mention that Shiv Sena had recently published a scathing article criticising the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 floated by the BJP government in its editorial mouthpiece Saamana. The article censured the central government arguing that the ‘selective acceptance’ of Hindu illegal refugees might touch off a religious war in the country. It also accused the BJP of carrying out ‘invisible division’ of Hindus and Muslims over the bill.
Read: Citizenship Amendment Bill – Myths and lies propagated against it, and the facts
However, the Shiv Sena backed the Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019 when it came to voting in the Lok Sabha.
Thackeray took to Twitter to clarify Shiv Sena’s stand regarding the flipflop.
“There’s a perception that whoever votes with the Central Government is a patriot and who voted against is anti national. We must get out of that illusion”#CitizenshipAmendmentBill
— Office of Uddhav Thackeray (@OfficeofUT) December 10, 2019
After the embarrassment faced by Rahul Gandhi over CAB, Thackeray tried to pacify the alliance partner by targeting the BJP.
If these queries are not answered, we won’t be supporting the CAB in the Rajya Sabha. Every party supporting or opposing it, is asking for clarity in national interest. Clarity must be ensured.#CitizenshipAmendmentBill
— Office of Uddhav Thackeray (@OfficeofUT) December 10, 2019
He said that unless the Central government clarifies a few questions, the Shiv Sena will vote against the bill in Rajya Sabha.
It is also pertinent to mention that the recent back-pedalling of Uddhav Thackeray can be attributed to the fragile alliance his party has with Congress in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena has already shunned its support to Hindutva in order to stitch an alliance with NCP and Congress. The chief ministership of Uddhav Thackeray is surviving on the tenuous coalition of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress party. In such a scenario, many believe that Sena’s support to the CAB in Lok Sabha might have irked the Congress royals.
