Be aggressive on CAA, PM urges NDA partners

Allies JD(U), Akalis wants changes in NPR form

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners not to be defensive over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and aggressively support it in Parliament. During the meeting allies Janata Dal(U) and Akali Dal urged the government to remove questions seeking details of parents from the National Population Register (NPR) questionnaire.

The alliance partners then also passed a resolution at the meeting lauding the Modi government for its “decisive” moves in reading down Article 370 according special status to Jammu and Kashmir, the passage of the CAA, the operationalisation of the Kartarpur corridor and the Bodo and Bru agreements that seek to end the two conflicts in the northeast.

“The NDA is one united family, and we stand like a rock behind Prime Minister Modi,” said Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, briefing the media about the meeting.

‘Confront Opposition’

Government sources said Prime Minister Modi told NDA party leaders that the government’s moves were not something that any of the partners needed to feel defensive about. He asked them to be on the front foot over the issue, and to take the Opposition head on. An NDA leader present at the meeting said Mr. Modi also reiterated that Muslims as much a right and responsibilities in India as any other community.

The meeting took place after both Houses of Parliament had adjourned for the day after the government tabled the economic survey.

NDA partner from Bihar, the JD(U), however, raised the issue of the NPR questionnaire during the meeting, urging the government to remove questions seeking details of parents in the NPR questionnaire. Party leader Lalan Singh said he had raised the issue at the meeting and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured that the matter will be discussed.

Mr Singh added that the Shiromani Akali Dal, had supported the JD(U) on the issue.