The unease in the Congress over Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s apparent support to the CAA and the NPR was manifested on Saturday when party spokesperson Manish Tewari questioned his understanding of the new citizenship matrix.

“CM Maharashtra Uddhav Thackeray requires a briefing on the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2003, to understand how NPR is the basis of NRC. Once you do NPR, you cannot stop NRC.

“On the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), he needs to be reacquainted with the design of the Indian Constitution that religion cannot be basis of Citizenship,” Tewari tweeted.

Most Congress leaders don’t agree with Thackeray’s approach. But they have avoided getting embroiled in any controversy as it could affect the functioning of the delicate coalition in Maharashtra.

Sources said Sonia Gandhi and Maharashtra general secretary in-charge Mallikarjun Kharge had told Thackeray on Saturday they didn’t appreciate his stand on the CAA-NPR.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar has also said he would talk to the chief minister.

Thackeray had said: “I discussed the CAA-NPR-NRC with the Prime Minister. There is nothing to fear in the CAA.”