Tamil Nadu BJP president K. Annamalai on Tuesday defended the notification of Citizenship Amendment Act and its implementation by the Central government on religious grounds in the wake of strong criticism against it in Tamil Nadu. He urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Opposition leaders to point out which specific part of the Act is a problem.
Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Annamalai said the CAA would provide citizenship and it doesn’t take away the citizenship of Indian Muslims.
“The friends in the Opposition parties should state which part of the CAA says that citizenship of Indian Muslims will be taken away,” he said, adding, “There reason why we brought this law is because there are three countries – Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh - which have declared themselves to be Islamic Republics. The religious minorities in these countries – Hindus, Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists – are facing religious persecution and over the years, they have already come into our country and are living as refugees in places across India. CAA was brought in to give them citizenships.”
Mr. Annamalai said India is not a signatory to United Nations Convention on refugees on 1951 and 1967.
“So, if a refugee comes into India, UN law does not apply to them. India follows ‘Principle of non-Refoulement’, which says that refugees won’t be sent back to their countries until the issues in their home country is resolved. If refugees stay here for 11 out of 14 years, they will be given citizenship naturally. What CAA 2019 says is that those who have come into India before December 31, 2014 who are Hindus, Parsis, Christians, Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists from these countries...need not wait here for 14 years or live here for 11 years. They can be given citizenships if they live here for just 5 years. So, 1414 persons have been given citizenships from these three countries. The opposition parties should be specific with their criticism about CAA – which part...which section of the Act is an issue? Which section or which word says that citizenship of Indian Muslims would be take away?”
Mr. Annamalai addressed the issue of why Tamil Hindu refugees from Sri Lanka do not qualify for citizenship according to CAA.
“The Home Ministry in 1986 published a G.O. stating that it will follow principle of non-refoulement, which means that the refugees will leave India once the situation is resolved in Sri Lanka. The G.O. is still being followed. Beyond that, citizenship has been given. Today, India is insisting that 13th amendment in Sri Lanka be implemented and political power and financial power devolved to the Tamil regions. Between 1983-2009, those Tamil refugees who came to India due to the civil war, have been given citizenship barring those who have faced some issues,” he said.
