Centre denies citizenship to Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka

CHENNAI: Tamil refugees who fled Sri Lanka’s 30-year long ethnic conflict and are living in India will not be granted citizenship, the Union government has told the Madurai branch of the Madras High Court.

“They are illegal immigrants,” the Atorney General told the court on Friday.

The refugees, who fled the violence in the island nation, are mostly living in camps in Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu. They had sought court intervention for citizenship, arguing that their ancestors were Tamils and had gone to Sri Lanka for work during the British times.

“We had to flee because the state had unleashed violence against us,” they said in a petition filed in the Madurai branch of the High Court in 2009, and sought an order granting them Indian citizenship. A Special Judge, who heard the case, directed all the petitioners to apply for citizenship in 2019 and submit the applications to the Tiruchi district collector without delay.

They later filed a contempt of court case as the officials did not enforce the court order. At the same time, the Union government filed an appeal against the order.

On Friday, as the court took it up, the Centre submited: “Our investigation has revealed that the refugees who came to Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka were illegal immigrants. Therefore, they cannot be granted citizenship.”

The position of the Tamil Nadu government is that the refugees should get citizenship. State minister for minorities welfare, refugees and wakf board Gingee KS Masthan said last week that the government will continue to press the Centre to offer Indian citizenship to Tamil refugees. He said chief minister MK Stalin had taken up the mater with the prime minister recently.

The lawyer for the refugees told the court: “The position of the State of Tamil Nadu on this mater is different. Therefore, the State of Tamil Nadu can be ordered to take a decision on this.”

The judges adjourned the case, ordering the Tamil Nadu government to respond by Aug.23, saying, “Even if it is the decision of the Tamil Nadu government, it must be decided in accordance with the law.”