No Detention Centres In Maharashtra, Muslims Need Not Fear: Thackeray

He gave the assurance to a delegation led by some MLAs from the Muslim community who called on him on Monday.

New Delhi: As the nation continues to face unrest over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, assured the Muslims in the state and dispelled their apprehensions, and said that he has faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He reiterated that his government would ensure no injustice is done to a single Muslim in the state in the wake of the nationwide protests. He said there are no detention centres in the state and Muslim citizens need not worry under his regime. He gave the assurance to a delegation led by some MLAs from the Muslim community who called on him on Monday. The chief minister assuaged concerns of the community, saying the detention centre at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai was meant for foreign nationals involved in drug peddling cases, said NCP leader Nawab Malik, whose party is an ally of the Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government. Only 38 people can be kept there (Kharghar detention centre). It is meant for foreign nationals following their release from jail, before they can be extradited to their country of origin, Malik said quoting the chief minister. Maharashtra Home Minister Eknath Shinde, Industries Minister Subhash Desai, Director General of Police Subodh Jaiswal, Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Barve, Shiv Sena MLA Abdul Sattar and Congress MLA Amin Patel were also present on the occasion. During a rally in New Delhi on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress, its allies and "urban Naxals" of spreading the rumour that Muslims will be sent to detention centres. "The citizenship law or the NRC have nothing to do with Indian Muslims. They have nothing to worry," Modi said at the rally.