Don’t revive discriminatory CAA: DMK

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK has urged the BJP-led Union government not to revive the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which discriminates against Muslims and Lankan Tamils on religious and ethnic basis.

In a strongly worded editorial published against CAA in its mouthpiece ‘Murasoli,’ the DMK has referred to a recent circular issued by the Union Home Ministry in this regard and wondered, “Will the Union Home Ministry issue a circular contrary to the stand of the ruling BJP? The circular has been leaked as if it were issued by a public body. It is evident from the circular that the Centre has the intention to revive the CAA.”

“The CAA proposed by the ruling BJP is skewed. We would not oppose it if citizenship was proposed for all. The BJP-led Centre has converted the Citizenship Act into biased legislation which ignores minority Muslims,” the editorial read.

“If affected refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan could come to India, why is there a ban on people from Sri Lanka? Why was Sri Lanka ignored in the list of countries? Should Sri Lanka not be the first country in the list? Victims of religious and ethnic persecution live in large numbers in Sri Lanka. Were the temples demolished there not Hindu temples? Is this not a betrayal meted out to Eelam Tamils?” the DMK party organ questioned.

Suggesting that Muslims and Lankan Tamils should be included in the Act, the DMK said the disastrous CAA, which discriminates against Muslims on religious grounds and Lankan Tamils on ethnic grounds, should not be revived.