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Stalin says citizenship act against minorities as DMK launches massive protests
The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party protested across Tamil Nadu against the citizenship act as senior leaders led workers and supporters in several cities, including Chennai.
The “hasty and autocratic” Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was brought in by the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre to suppress the rights of Muslims and other minorities in the country, the DMK’s MK Stalin said on Tuesday.
The opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party protested across Tamil Nadu against the citizenship act as senior leaders led workers and supporters in several cities, including Chennai.
Stalin was leading once such a massive protest rally attended by thousands in Kancheepuram, the birthplace of DMK founder and former chief minister CN Annadurai.
Watch | DMK hold state-wide protest in Tamil Nadu against Citizenship Act
“CAA is against minorities. The Union government’s move of passing CAA shows that the BJP wants to suppress Muslims and other minorities,” Stalin said while addressing a massive crowd of DMK workers.
The DMK leader also accused the Centre of poisoning India’s unity.
“People from different religion, language, faith and culture live in India. So, we proudly call India as a nation with Unity in Diversity. But, the BJP government’s moves are against the bedrock of Indian democracy. It is pouring venom on the unity of India,” Stalin said.
He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of failing to fulfil electoral promises.
“During the LS polls, the PM assured that he would double the income of farmers. He promised 2.5 crore jobs for Indian youth. Instead of fulfilling the electoral promises, the BJP government has been indulging in activities which are against the growth of India,” Stalin said.
The DMK is one of the opposition parties including the Congress, Trinamool Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party, Left parties, Telangana Rashtriya Samithi, Aam Aadmi Party and Janata Dal (Secular) to oppose the bill.
The leader of the opposition in Tamil Nadu also said the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, the passage of triple talaq bill and CAA are one attack after the other on minorities.
“The passage of CAA is hasty and autocratic move. The Union government is not responding to questions why Muslims and Sri Lankan Tamils have been excluded in this CAA,” he argued.
The DMK leader also countered Union home minister Amit Shah’s statement claiming around five lakh Sri Lankan Tamils were given citizenship in India.
“Amit Shah is lying before the people. Actually, Indian citizenship was given only to Indian-origin Tamils who went to the island nation in the British era. They worked in tea estates in SL. After SL got freedom, Indian Tamils had not given any citizenship there,” Stalin said.
“Therefore, India and Sri Lanka made an agreement during the tenures of Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi. Indian citizenship was given to 4.21 lakh Indian-origin Tamils in Sri Lanka. Later, 75,000 Indian Tamils had also got citizenship. But, no Lankan Tamils residing in refugees’ camps have not received the citizenship,” he said.
Senior DMK leader and party member of Parliament Kanimozhi also protested near the Chennai district collectorate and said the Union government is indulging in one anti-people activity after another.
“First the abrogated Article 370 which hit normalcy in Kashmir. Now, they are passing CAA which has created unrest across the nation,” she said.
The DMK’s parliamentary committee leader TR Baalu also led a protest in Chennai’s Adambakkam. As did former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran in the Tamil Nadu capital’s Chepauk area.
The DMK will also convene an all-party meeting on Wednesday to decide the next course of action on CAA, senior leaders said.
Actor-turned-politician and Makkal Needhi Makan (MNM) president Kamal Haasan also charged the Centre and Tamil Nadu’s ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) of passing and backing the citizenship act to “crush the minorities of the nation”.
As the MNM leader condemned the move, he said the AIADMK had betrayed Tamils by voting in favour of CAA.
“There is no answer with the Union government about the next step of progress for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees. Horribly, the government which is in a position to answer the questions is manhandling students by using the police,” he accused.
“Farmers are dying across the nation. The security of half of the women population in the country is a question. The nation’s economy is at a crisis point now. Prices are going up and further skyrocketing. The Union government which was supposed to address these problems is passing bills to divide the nation in the name of religion,” Kamal Haasan said in a statement.
The superstar said he would not rest “until defeating the fascist moves.”
“When decisions are taken against the interests of people, it should not be called democracy. I will not get rest until the fascists are defeated. Not only me, everyone should join hands against these decisions. The fall of the anti-nationals has commenced now,” Kamal claimed.
The DMK and MNM have both filed separate petitions against CAA before the Supreme Court challenging the act that was cleared by Parliament last week.
