Sena says will vote for CAB if concerns are addressed, Congress confident it won’t

“We are not opposing the bill in totality, but have raised certain issues. If all our concerns are addressed, our Rajya Sabha colleagues may even vote in favour of the bill,” said a Sena leader.
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in Rajya Sabha. (RSTV Screengrab)
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut in Rajya Sabha. (RSTV Screengrab)

MUMBAI: The Shiv Sena will vote in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) in the Rajya Sabha if all the concerns it has raised are addressed, the party said here on Wednesday.

“We are not opposing the bill in totality, but have raised certain issues. If all our concerns are addressed, our colleagues in the Rajya Sabha may even vote in favour of the bill,” a senior Shiv Sena functionary told The New Indian Express.

“Like Pakistan, PM Modi should teach a strong lesson to other neighbouring countries torturing the communities like Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis and Jains. But, if someone is trying to do a vote bank politics under the garb of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, then it is not in the interest of the country,” Shiv Sena chief and Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray had said on Tuesday.

He had also raised questions like where the refugees would be settled. If these questions are answered by the government during the debate in the Rajya Sabha, the party may vote in favour of the bill, said the party functionary.

The Congress, however, is sure that the Shiv Sena will oppose the bill in the Rajya Sabha.

“Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot, who was in Mumbai on Tuesday, spoke to Maharashtra CM Thackeray after the party supported the bill in Lok Sabha. Thackeray was told that such behaviour of the Shiv Sena will adversely affect the newly formed alliance in the state. Thackeray's statement came only after that,” said a senior Congress leader in the state requesting anonymity.

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