8k SL Tamils in State eligible for citizenship

CHENNAI: More than 8,000 Lankan Tamils living in 106 rehabilitation camps in the State are eligible to get Indian citizenship as per the existing laws, said the interim report prepared by the advisory council sub-committee.

There are legal provisions to facilitate Indian citizenship for more than 8,000 Lankan Tamils living in 104 camps and 2 special camps in the State, said a highly placed source, citing the report that was submitted to the government in the last week of September.

The report was prepared based on the demographic information of 58,252 Sri Lankan refugees in 104 regular camps and 2 special camps.

Detailing the legal provisions in Citizenship Act and Passports Act, the source elaborated that children born in India after December 3, 2004, to one of the Indian parents are eligible for the citizenship as per the provision of section 5 (1) (D) and (E) of the Citizenship Act.

Similarly, children born to Sri Lankan parents or mixed parentage prior to July 1, 1987, and children born to an Indian and a Sri Lankan parent have strong legal backing to secure citizenship in the country.

“There are multiple incidents of refugees obtaining Indian citizenship through certain legal provisions. There are precedents that will strongly suggest that a good number of Lankan Tamils are entitled for citizenship,” said an official, pointing out that several Tibetan refugees had obtained Indian citizenship by citing certain provisions in the Citizenship Act, 2004.

Apart from this, Indian origin Tamils (hill country Tamils) or descendants of such persons with passports issued by Indian missions through agreement between Indian and the island nation such as Sirimavo Bandaranaike-Lal Bahadur Shastri Pact and the Sirimavo Bandaranaike-India Gandhi Pact would also pave way for getting Indian citizenship.

“The interim report will be handy for the Tamil Nadu government, which is keen on getting citizenship for the Lankan Tamils,” said the source.

45% of Lankan Tamils refugees born in Tamil Nadu

The report also divulged that 95 per cent of the Lankan Tamils have an Aadhaar card and 78 per cent have bank account, while 45 per cent of the population of the refugees were born in the camps. “A total of 25,766 people in the camps were born in India,” added the source.

Civil documents such as Aadhaar card, birth certificate and reaction cards would strengthen their claim for Indian citizenship, said another source privy to the interim report.