Citizenship Amendment Act: Tamil actor and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Thalapathy Vijay lashed out at the Narendra Modi-led Central government after it notified the rules for the implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. He said that it is not acceptable to implement any law like the CAA in a nation where people live with social harmony.
"It is not acceptable to implement any law like the Indian Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 (CAA) in an environment where all citizens of the country live with social harmony," he said.
He also requested the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that the law does not get implemented in Tamil Nadu. "The leaders should ensure that this law does not get implemented in Tamil Nadu," the statement added.
PM Modi's attempt to 'salvage' his sinking ship: CM Stalin
Several Opposition leaders have also slammed the Centre for notifying the rules for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, alleging the BJP was trying to divide society and polarise the atmosphere ahead of general elections.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking to "salvage his sinking ship" by notifying the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in an attempt to gain political mileage.
"Now, as elections loom, Prime Minister Modi seeks to salvage his sinking ship by cynically resurrecting #CitizenshipAmendmentAct, exploiting religious sentiments for political gain," the chief minister posted on social media platform X.
"However, the people of #INDIA will never forgive the BJP for unleashing this divisive #CitizenshipAmendmentAct and their spineless lackeys, the ADMK (sic), who shamelessly supported it. People will teach them a befitting lesson," Stalin, also the president of ruling DMK, further said on X.
Key provisions of CAA rules
The Union Home Ministry officially notified the rules for the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on Monday, a move anticipated ahead of the impending Lok Sabha election schedule announcement.
The rules, formulated by the Narendra Modi government and passed by Parliament in 2019, aim to grant Indian citizenship to persecuted non-Muslim migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014. Eligible communities include Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians.
The rules also state that the applicants will have to provide an eligibility certificate issued by a locally reputed community institution confirming that he/she belongs to "Hindu/ Sikh/ Buddhist/ Jain/ Parsi/ Christian community and continues to be a member of the above mentioned community.
The applicants will also have to give a declaration that they "irrevocably" renounce the existing citizenship and that they want to make "India as permanent home", according to the rules.
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