Reacting for the first time since the AIADMK’s manifesto release where the Dravidian party promised to push for dropping of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019(CAA), the BJP has said they will take it up with their ally. Speaking to TNM, BJP’s Tamil Nadu in-charge CT Ravi said that the manifesto was just AIADMK’s and not the NDA’s.
Continuing to defend the CAA, Ravi said, “Through CAA, we gave justice to people who were waiting for citizenship for over five to seven decades. There has been no injustice meted out because of this to anybody. We have not snatched away anybody's citizenship. So please explain to me who has been cheated with this?”
The AIADMK announced a slew of populist schemes including free washing machines, solar stoves, 2GB data for students, free cable connection, and a reduction in fuel prices. One of the biggest poll promises by the AIADMK is that the party would demand that the Union government drop the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). When the Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha, 125 MPs voted for the legislation, and 99 against it. The AIADMK’s 11 votes were crucial in passing the Bill in the Upper House. In the Lok Sabha, the AIADMK’s lone MP, OP Raveendranath, the son of Deputy CM OPS, voted for the Bill.
Distancing the BJP from the AIADMK’s manifesto, CT Ravi said, “This is the AIADMK’s manifesto, not the NDA’s. So far they(AIADMK) have not discussed this with us. We will take it up with them now.”
“In the past, we have given citizenship to Sri Lankan Tamils. Many people have also been given refuge in rehabilitation camps in India and several other Sri Lankan Tamils have also gone back to their country and got resettled. Many of them have even become legislators and ministers in the country. Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh are the three countries that we considered in CAA. If there is some major issue that emerges regarding Sri Lankan Tamils they can put forth a specific demand for that. But to say that giving citizenship through CAA is wrong is not acceptable,” Ravi added.
On Monday, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister EPS, responding to questions on the manifesto and the promise to urge the Union government to drop CAA said, “The AIADMK government will protect the minorities. We have announced that we will insist that the centre revoke the CAA. AIADMK is the only party that protects the interest of minorities. We will insist with the Union government”.