In a U-turn, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) on Tuesday clarified that contrary to the reports in sections of the media, it had not extended its support to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Citizens Register (NRC), but it has said that it would support the efforts by the Centre to deport all illegal Muslim immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Talking to media persons after party chief Raj Thackeray held a meeting with the party’s office bearers at his ‘Krishna Kunj’ residence near Shivaji Park in north-central Mumbai, senior MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said: “The morcha that we are taking out to the Azad Maidan on February 9 is not in support of CAA and NRC but for demanding the immediate deportation of illegal Muslim immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh to their respective countries”.

At his party office bearers’ meeting, Raj made it clear that his party would root for immediate deportation of all illegal Muslim immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh to their respective countries and said that the morcha had nothing to do with either CAA or NRC.

It may be recalled that at the party workers’ rally that he addressed after the party’s convention at NESCO grounds at Goregaon in north Mumbai, Raj had said that more than the CAA and NRC which would happen in due course, the Centre’s top priority should be to “deport" all illegal Muslim immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh to their respective countries and his party would extend its full support to the Modi government in this task.

As such, the MNS chief had not directly extended his party’s support to the Centre on CAA and NRC.  Extending his indirect support to CAA and NRC, Raj had said: “There can be a debate on CAA and NRC.  ... But, suddenly there are so many morchas against CAA and NRC.

Thousands of Muslims have come on the streets. Some people told me that the Muslims are venting out their pent up anger against the revocation of Article 370 in Kashmir and the Supreme Court verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi. I would like to know as to how many Indian Muslims participated in these morchas and how many are from outside. If so many Muslims from outside are participating in these morchas, why should we support these morchas?”

Alluding to anti-CAA and NRC morchas being witnessed across the country, Raj had said that one had to respond to morchas with counter morchas. He had gone to announce that his party would take out a massive morcha to the Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on February 9 to demand immediate deportation of illegal Muslim immigrants from Pakistan and Bangladesh to their respective countries.