Alleging that the BJP government at the Centre had brought in the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to divert the people’s attention from the economic slowdown and the unemployment crisis, DMK president M.K. Stalin on Sunday said the legislation discriminated against Muslims and divided the people on religious lines.
In a video message posted on social media, Mr. Stalin said though India, being a secular country, cannot enact a law based on religion, the BJP government at the Centre was doing just that.
“The law paves the way for the entry of non-Muslims from countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to India. Why should the government single out Muslims? Why did the Bill exclude Sri Lankan Tamils from citizenship?” he asked.
By supporting the legislation, the ruling AIADMK had betrayed the Sri Lankan Tamils, who had been living in Tamil Nadu as refugees since they could not lead a peaceful life in Sri Lanka, the DMK leader said.
“The Centre does not have any concern for the Sri Lankan Tamils and is not ready to make arrangements to ensure an honourable life for them. The AIADMK government is not ready to question the stand of the BJP, and remains spineless,” he alleged.
“My question is whether the BJP government [at the Centre] and the AIADMK regime [in the State] see the Sri Lankan Tamils as Hindus at all. Though they are Tamils, they follow Hinduism. Wouldn’t their exclusion amount to rejecting Hindu Tamils?” the DMK leader asked.
