Lambasting the BJP, DMK chief MK Stalin on Monday, said if his party is voted to power in Tamil Nadu, the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) will not be implemented in the state. Stalin also hit out at the ruling AIADMK for “supporting” the BJP in Parliament on the issue.
The country witnessed widespread protests soon after the Act was passed in Parliament, last year. The objective of the CAA is to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted minorities -- Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian -- from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Those from these communities who had come to India till December 31, 2014, facing religious persecution in their respective countries, will not be treated as illegal immigrants but given Indian citizenship.
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Had the AIADMK and lone PMK member in the Rajya Sabha voted against the bill, CAA would not have seen the light of day and the two parties should be blamed for the “plight” of minorities all over the country, Stalin said.
Addressing an election meeting in Jolarpet, Stalin charged the ruling AIADMK with "enacting a drama" on the matter ahead of the polls and recalled that his party had earlier staged protests against the CAA and also launched a massive signature campaign against it.
"I assure. We are going to come to power, there is no doubt about that. So, after we come to power, we will not allow this CAA (to be implemented) in Tamil Nadu. This is an assurance given by Stalin," he said.
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The DMK shared an "umbilical chord" with minorities and will always back them, Stalin added.
He also recalled that his party had opposed the bill in Parliament.
The AIADMK supported the ruling BJP at the Centre on issues like abrogation of Article 370 and abolition of Triple Talaq, but was now "enacting a drama" as if it were a protector of the minorities, Stalin said while lashing out at his party's arch-rival.
He also slammed Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami for not passing an Assembly resolution against the three contentious central farm laws, facing stiff resistance from farmers agitating outside Delhi for about four months, pointing out that states like Punjab, West Bengal and Kerala had done so.
He promised to do the same in the state if his party won the April 6 polls and formed the government.
Various promises made in the DMK manifesto for the polls, including Rs 1,000 "rights assistance" to women family heads, cutting down petroleum prices would be implemented if it was voted to power, he said.
Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are scheduled to take place on April 6.
(With PTI inputs)
