Shiv Sena not participating in Mumbai anti-CAA protest

The Shiv Sena, an ally of the Congress and NCP in Maharashtra government, is not part of a front formed by various organisations to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens here on Thursday.

When Mumbai Congress president Eknath Gaikwad was asked why the Shiv Sena was not part of the front, called 'Hum Bharat Ke Log', he said the protest was organised by NGOs and not his party.

"The Congress, NCP and other parties were invited by citizens' groups for the protest. If the Congress had organised it, we would have invited all partners of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (comprising the Sena, Congress and NCP)," Gaikwad told PTI.

The Shiv Sena had earlier supported the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha, but staged a walkout during voting on it in the Rajya Sabha, saying the party's queries on the bill were not answered.

Firoze Mitiborwala, a member of the 'Hum Bharat Ke Log' front, said they have formed an all India forum comprising citizens' groups to protest against the new citizenship law and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

"We are in touch with the Shiv Sena to join the forum. (Sena president and chief minister) Uddhavji has helped us with the logistics of today's protest at the August Kranti Maidan," he said.

Earlier, a release issued by 'Hum Bharat Ke Log' front dubbed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and NRC as "unconstitutional and discriminatory".