DMK Chief MK Stalin on Wednesday announced his party’s decision to hold a procession against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Chennai on December 23, Monday. Speaking to reporters after chairing an all-party meeting at his party headquarters in the city, Stalin said the meeting resolved that the CAA has to be revoked and a procession will be held in Chennai on December 23 at 10.00 am, demanding its revocation.
In addition to tweeting about the procession, Stalin has also requested all political parties, students and the public to participate in it.
23-12-2019 காலை 10மணிக்கு சென்னையில் ‘குடியுரிமை திருத்தச் சட்ட எதிர்ப்புப் பேரணி’ நடத்த அனைத்துக் கட்சிக் கூட்டத்தில் முடிவெடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) December 18, 2019
அரசியலுக்கு அப்பாற்பட்டு கட்சிகள், மாணவர்கள்,பொதுமக்கள் என அனைவரும் பேரணியில் பங்கேற்க வேண்டும் என அழைப்பு விடுக்கிறேன் #DMKagainstCAA pic.twitter.com/sjzEbPVKYD
Stalin has raised two queries on CAA — why Muslims were not considered as refugees and why Sri Lanka was not categorised as a neighbouring country. Stalin said that by supporting the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, the ruling AIADMK and its ally PMK have betrayed the Muslims and Sri Lankan Tamils.
The Hindu reports that Stalin had spoken to Makkal Needhi Maiam leader and actor Kamal Haasan, explaining that only the 11 political parties that are allies of the DMK, had been invited for the meeting. “In the future, if necessary, we will invite other parties,” he had said.
Kamal Haasan on Tuesday had slammed the Centre and the ruling AIADMK over the Citizenship Amendment Act and said his party is opposed to the proposed nation-wide National Register of Citizens (NRC). He had also visited the protesting students of Madras University to express his solidarity.
Earlier, defending the Act, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami in a statement said that no Indian will be affected by the CAA. While Kamal had remarked that the ruling AIADMK's support to the CAA in the Parliament was a betrayal of the Tamils and the nation, Stalin has also said that AIADMK government’s response was not surprising and claimed that the Tamil Nadu CM would agree with the line taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and the Union government.
Palaniswami, however, criticised Stalin that the DMK had not taken any action to get the Indian citizenship for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees when it was in power for 13 years at the Centre.
Responding to this, Stalin said that he was not inclined to enter into a wasteful debate with Palanswami and added: “A solution has to be found for the problem that has arisen now.”
(With inputs from IANS)