MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court recently directed the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to consider and take decision on a citizenship application submitted by a woman resident of Kottapattu rehabilitation camp for Sri Lankan Tamils in Tiruchy.
The refugee, M Mathine (49), stated in her petition that she is an Indian-origin Tamil born in Sri Lanka in 1975. Due to their identity as Indian-origin Tamils, Mathine and her family members have been living as stateless persons in Sri Lanka and were housed in a refugee camp there. We were also issued an identity certificate stating that we are Indians, said Mathine, who had come to India with her family during the ethnic war in 1984.
"However, when we returned to our mother land, we were again tagged as Sri Lankans and housed in a refugee camp. We are Indian-origin Tamils who do not have either Indian or Sri Lankan citizenship. We are stateless people," she said. Despite running from pillar to post for the conferment of Indian citizenship, we still remain in the camp as stateless persons for the past 40 years, Mathine added.
She further requested the court to direct the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to consider her citizenship application dated October 6, 2022. Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan, who heard the petition, directed the union ministry to consider Mathine's application and take a decision within three months.