CAA won't be implemented in Maharashtra, says Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat

A day after the Home Ministry said in a notification that the provisions of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) came force on January 10, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat on Saturday reiterated that the new law would not be implemented in the state.

Addressing a press conference here, Thorat said: "Anti-CAA protests are being held across the country. The Congress party is extending full support to the people as the Act is against the Constitution. The CAA will not be implemented in Maharashtra."

Thorat further stressed that the Maharastra government wants to free the farmers from their loans as the state has consistently recorded the highest number of farmer suicides.

"Maharashtra is a drought-hit state. Farmers were debt-ridden. Thus, there was an increase in farmer's suicide. The Centre did not support the state. There were just more speeches than fulfilling the promises," he said.

According to the data recently released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 10,349 people working in the farm sector committed suicide in 2018.

Talking about the violence in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on January 5, he said: "It is strange that those who were attacked, an FIR is being lodged against them. We condemn this. We are against it."

The Delhi Police have filed an FIR against JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh and 19 others for allegedly vandalising the server room of the JNU and attacking the staff members.