The Maharashtra Government has decided to continue work on the detention centre coming up at Navi Mumbai even as Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray sought to assuage fears of the Muslim community in the state.

At a meeting of community leaders, Uddhav said Indian nationals would not be housed in these detention camps which were meant for foreigners caught in drug cases. “There is nothing for Indians to be afraid of. Only foreign nationals sent to prison for various crimes will be kept in these detention centres till the process for deporting them is completed,” he told a delegation.

Sources say the CM mentioned cases of Africans caught peddling drugs who disappeared into Mumbai’s streets after completing sentence. The CM further told the delegation that the state government was yet to take a decision on implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act and the NRC and that it was waiting for the Supreme Court decision on CAA which was expected next month.