After Rajinikanth, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Backs CAA, Asks Opposition To Prove If Any Minority Has Been Affected

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) has challenged the state opposition parties, led by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), to show proof that the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019 has affected any minority community person.

EPS made the challenge in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in response to DMK MLA Mano Thangaraj, who wanted the legislative house to pass a resolution against CAA.

Pointing out that several states had passed resolutions against CAA, which provides for giving citizenship to persecuted minorities in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Thangaraj charged the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government with submitting itself to the Centre.

A combative EPS intervened, instead of the two other listed ministers, and said: “you have been saying this repeatedly and misleading the people of the nation. Who has been affected by this? Tell us? We will find a solution.”

“Point out and tell us which minority community person born in Tamil Nadu and living in Tamil Nadu has been affected. We will respond to it. Without doing that you (the opposition) are misleading the people, enacting a drama, spreading wrong information and have affected the peace in the state. Tell me, who has been affected. I will reply to that.”

The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s statement follows one by Tamil film superstar Rajinikanth, who has backed the CAA, saying it did not affect the Muslims. He has also said that he would be the first person to voice his support if they were to be affected, besides charging the opposition with playing politics.

EPS response also comes at a time when a Shaheen Bagh-type protest is being staged at Washermanpet in north Chennai and some other parts of the state.

On Wednesday (19 February), anti-CAA protesters have planned to lay siege to the state assembly but the Madras High Court has stayed it.

However, the protesters are planning to go ahead with it.