Modi tells NDA partners not to be defensive on CAA

New Delhi: Asserting that the BJP-led NDA government’s decisions are in “deshhit (national interest),” Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asked the ruling alliance leaders to not feel defensive over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as the law does not discriminate against any citizen of the country, including Muslims.

During the NDA meeting to chalk out the ruling alliance’s strategy for the Budget Session of Parliament, that commenced on Friday, a key constituent of the NDA, Shriromani Akali Dal (SAD) suggested that the NDA should hold meetings regularly and not like a “token meeting” in the beginning of Parliament sessions. Another constituent Janata Dal (United) urged the central government to remove questions seeking details of parents in the National Population Register (NPR) questionnaire. The JD(U) also urged the government that each NDA constituent should be briefed separately on the issue and their concerns should be taken into consideration. The SAD also supported the JD (U) on the issue and also suggested that the government should also take suggestions from the NDA allies on key decisions taken by it.

In Bihar where the JD(U) is leading the coalition government, assembly polls are scheduled by the end of this year and there is an apprehension that the "misinformation" regarding the NPR could dent the NDA's poll prospects. The government had earlier clarified that people are free to not answer questions about their parents such as place and date of birth in the NPR exercise.

Another ally, Apna Dal requested that the next national census should also release the "caste-wise" data.    

The Prime Minister, it was learnt, told the NDA members that the CAA is not against the Indian citizen and the opposition is trying to create a rift between people and unrest in the country by trying to communalise the new law. Mr Modi, sources said, said that NDA leaders should taken on the Oppositions' charge against the CAA head-on as the amended citizenship law is not against Muslims and minorities are as much “ours as other citizens are”.

Union home minister Amit Shah also briefed the NDA leaders about the national security issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir situation, Bodo accord and settlement of Bru tribe members in Tripura.