Srinagar Dec 26: Though Narendra Modi led BJP government at center had managed to convince its allies to vote for the CAA in the parliament and bringing the legislation into force, the support for it seems to be waning after widespread protests over the law throughout the country.
Shiromani Akali Dal one of the oldest ally of BJP has now spoken against the NRC after voting in favor of the CAB in the parliament. Shiromani Akali Dal Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral has expressed that it does not support the NRC and as a party representing a minority community, it wanted the Muslims to be included in CAA.
After President’s nod, CAA sparkedwidespread protests across the country especially in Northeast states. The new law will provide citizenship to non-Muslim minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who came to India after facing religious persecution.
AIADMK after lending support to CAB in the Parliament has faced lot of embarrassment form its electoral base. Tamil Nadu secretariat even received bomb threats on phone for support it lent to the CAB. Rajya Sabha MP S R Balasubramanyam had termed the support a result of the “compulsion of alliance”. On the NRC, however, its stand remained unclear. Yet, state minister Nilofer Kafeel, while assuaging the fears of people over the CAA-NRC, said that she, too, is scared. “I am scared. I can’t deny it. I am also a Muslim and from the same community,” Kafeel said.
The support of Janata Dal (United) in the Parliament has led to a rift within the party with leaders Prashant Kishore and Pavan Verma spoke publically against Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s decision to support it.
Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) though lent its support in favor of CAA in the Parliament, later asked for “discussion” on the Act after widespread fury throughout the country. President Chirag Paswan later sent out a series of tweets saying that the BJP has failed to dispel the fear among the people especially in minorities. On the Act, Paswan has said that he will not support it unless the concerns of the people are addressed.
The Assam ally Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) who supported the bill in the Parliament, has faced the ire of the people in the state with many workers quitting the party. Faced with unprecedented opposition to its stand for being supporting the CAB while its leaders were signatory to the Assam Accord, the AGP has now approached the Supreme Court (SC) opposing CAA.
Biju Janta Dal (BJD), Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and YSR Congress Party also spoke against the CAA after facing rage within and outside the party.
Agencies
