All parties fighting against CAA must come together: P Chidambaram

When asked about the crack in so called United Opposition, Chidambaram said, "We are fighting against the CAA and NPR (National Population Register). Sometimes we fight together while sometimes we don't. It is important to fight (at least). In West Bengal, we are fighting with various Left parties."

"All parties fighting against the CAA must come together. We are fighting to save the Constitution of India," added the senior Congress leader.

In a setback for the "Opposition Unity", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati had skipped the Jan 13 meeting trading charges against the Congress.

Not getting into bitter political rhetoric, Chidambaram said there is no harm to invite Banerjee- who heads the Trinamool Congress (TMC)- to future Opposition meetings.

"Invite must be sent certainly. There is no harm in it.." said the Congress MP.

Despite spearheading the anti-CAA-NRC-NPR protests in West Bengal, Banerjee had boycotted the meeting saying the Congress along with Left are resorting to violence in the name of protests with a reference to the Bharat Bandh which was called by 10 Trade Unions on Jan 8.

A day after the Union Home Ministry held a meeting with various States and Union Territories over the National Population Register (NPR), Chidambaram said the NPR is no different from the NRC.

"NPR is a disguise of NRC," he said and also maintained that "CAA is discriminatory and divisive and it must be scrapped."

Speaking about his visit to the Park Circus where several women are protesting against the CAA, Chidambaram said, "I went there to share solidarity with them. I didn't speak but wanted to share my solidarity."

(Image Credit: Congress Twitter)