Uddhav Thackeray meets 200 Muslim leaders, says ‘no one will have to leave the country’

IE

Mumbai, 23 Jan: In a meeting with over 200 Muslim community leaders at the police commissioner’s office, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday assured that “no one would have to leave the country” in the backdrop of the Centre passing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

 

Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve, meanwhile, told those assembled that they while they had the right to protest, they should also ensure that no one is inconvenienced and that no law is broken.

 

The community leaders submitted a memorandum to Uddhav, demanding that a resolution be passed in the state legislature against CAA on the lines of Kerala and Punjab. The memorandum, undersigned by Saeed Noorie, general secretary of Raza Academy, and Sayed Moinuddin Ashraf of Jamia Qadria Ashrafia, stated, “…we request your goodself to kindly pass a resolution denouncing the draconian and unconstitutional Acts passed by the BJP government, which has been opposed in an unprecedented manner in not only India but throughout the world. The Kerala and Punjab government have already taken the lead in this and hopefully other states shall follow soon.”

 

Later, Noorie told mediapersons, “We met the chief minister and expressed our fears regarding CAA and NRC. He, however, told us that we are very much the citizens of this country and no one has the right to take away our citizenship… He assured that no one would have to leave the country… We submitted a memorandum to him. He was receptive to what we said and allayed our fears.”

 

A senior police officer said the community leaders had met the CM earlier and had requested a meeting with him again. The meeting lasted around 20 minutes.

 

Mumbai Police Spokesperson, DCP Pranay Ashok, said, “Since Mumbai Police had earlier as well facilitated the conversation, it was decided to hold the meeting at the police commissioner’s office. At the meeting, the CM met the leaders and addressed some of the concerns that they had regarding the (CAA) bill and assured them they should not be worried.”