Shiv Sena leaders said Thackeray had convened the meeting to apprise party legislators and functionaries over the party’s stance over Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Shiv Sena leaders said Thackeray had convened the meeting to apprise party legislators and functionaries over the party’s stance over Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday told his party leaders he would never abandon the ideology of Hindutva.

In a meeting of party legislators and district heads at the Sahyadri guest house in Malabar Hill, Thackeray said he has not changed the colour or agenda of his party. Shiv Sena leaders said Thackeray had convened the meeting to apprise party legislators and functionaries over the party’s stance over Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Read | Chandrakant Patil urges Uddhav to prove Shiv Sena still committed to Hindutva agenda

“Senior police officials gave a presentation on the CAA and NRC explaining the facts about the Act, its amendments and NRC. Many legislators and functionaries are not aware of the factual information about the CAA or NRC. There is a lot of confusion and misinformation. So, the meeting was more about creating awareness on them,” said a functionary.

In an apparent veiled dig at his cousin and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena president Raj Thackeray, Uddhav told those present at the meeting that he had “neither changed the colour nor the agenda” of his party. In a bid to occupy space in Hindutva politics, the MNS had recently unveiled a new saffron party flag which also has the royal seal/stamp of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

The meeting assumes significance as it was held on the day when the MNS chief took out a protest march in support of CAA. “Uddhav justified why the party’s stand of supporting CAA is right saying that it is not to take away anybody’s rights,” a Sena MLA said. Sources said the meeting was held to allay fears of party legislators and functionaries that the party had deviated from its core Hindutva agenda.

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