Be specific with criticism of CAA: BJP
ted Chidambaram and Villupuram (both reserved constituencies), which are also sitting seats.
The party is yet to identify the constituencies it would give to the Congress for the nine seats it was allotted in Tamil Nadu. The national party was also allotted the lone seat in Puducherry.
The DMK is yet to identify a constituency for the one seat that was allotted to the MDMK.
Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder, and actor, Kamal Haasan on Tuesday strongly opposed the Centre’s decision to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act, accusing it of trying to “divide the people of India and destroy harmony just before the [Lok Sabha] election”.
In a statement, he questioned the notification of the Act weeks before the election, and said that the BJP had issued the notification because of its desperation to win the poll even as the Supreme Court was currently determining the law’s constitutional validity.
“The MNM was the first party from Tamil Nadu to challenge this Act in the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, this Act, which was hastily tabled and now being implemented at the eve of national election, makes plain the BJP’s nefarious designs,” he said.
‘Tragic news’
Mr. Haasan further said that the CAA was perhaps the BJP’s vision for India if the party was voted back to power. “To add insult to the injury, after having been ignored and overlooked by Central government, our Muslim brothers received this tragic news on the first day of Ramadan. If we believe the claim that this Act is supposed to protect religious minorities, why not include Sri Lankan Tamils who have faced similar hardships?..”
‘Reality ignored’
He said it was “reprehensible that the Centre continued to ignore the reality” and contended that those who were trying to divide the country on the basis “of religion, language and caste” would be given a reality check in the election.
Amid strong criticism, State BJP president K. Annamalai on Tuesday defended the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and its implementation by the Central government.
He urged Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, and Opposition leaders, to point out the specific part of the Act with which they have 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, “The reason why we introduced 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 citizenship.”
Mr. Annamalai addressed the issue of why Tamil Hindu refugees from Sri Lanka do not qualify for citizenship according to CAA, referring to a G.O. published in 1986.
The MNM was the first party from T.N. to challenge this Act in the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, this Act, which was hastily tabled and now being implemented at the eve of national election, makes plain the BJP’s nefarious designs
KAMAL HAASAN MNM founder