MADURAI
Members of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) condemned the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the subsequent attack on students in Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University, here on Tuesday.
Members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities, who had come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan till December 31, 2014, and were facing religious persecution in those countries, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but will be given Indian citizenship, according to the newly amended Act.
DMK MLA (Madurai Central) P.T.R. Palanivel Thiagarajan said that the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which contributed 11 votes at Rajya Sabha to pass the Bill, was against Sri Lankan Tamil refugees as well as India.
“Although (former Chief Minister) Jayalalithaa and the DMK had differences, our party appreciated her opposition to the Centre’s proposal for Goods and Service Tax (GST) and the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) implementation. This slave government has accepted everything from the Centre with folded hands,” he said.
DYFI State secretary S. Bala said the Act which disallowed the recognition of persecuted Sri Lankan Tamils was one that should be rejected. He said that the fascist Central government fostered a religious divide between Hindus and Muslims.
