Manithaneya Makkal Katchi founder M.H. Jawahirullah on Monday said his party will stage a protest in front of Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s residence on December 18 to condemn the ruling party for having voted in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha. “The AIADMK’s 11 votes in favour of the Bill paved the way for its passage in the Rajya Sabha. The Bill is against the interests of Muslims and Sri Lankan Tamils,” the MMK leader told mediapersons in Chennai.
“By supporting the Bill, AIADMK has forfeited the right to call itself a Dravidian party. It has compromised on the the policies adopted by Annadurai, MGR and Jayalalithaa,” It has enabled the passage of the Bill and betrayed Muslims and Sri Lankan Tamils,” he alleged. Prof. Jawahirullah requested support from all secular parties for the protest. PMK founder S. Ramadoss’ stance had also been exposed, with his party having supported the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, he said.
Prof. Jawahirullah said the Citizenship Amendment Act, which seeks to grant citizenship only to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, was unconstitutional and went against Article 14 of the Constitution.
“It also ignores the immigrants from Sri Lanka and Myanmar,” he added. He condemned the police action against the students of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University. He demanded the resignation of Home Minister Amit Shah, saying he should take responsibility for the police action against the students.
