CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday blamed the union government for announcing the “divisive” Citizenship Amendment Act to exploit religious sentiments for political gains and said people will teach the saffron party a befitting lesson.
In a post on platform X soon after the union government notified the rules for the implementation of CAA, Stalin said, “Union BJP Government’s divisive agenda has weaponised the Citizenship Act, turning it from a beacon of humanity to a tool of discrimination based on religion and race through the enactment of #CAA. By betraying Muslims and Sri Lankan Tamils, they sowed seeds of division. Despite staunch opposition from democratic forces like DMK, the #CAA was passed with the support of BJP’s stooge AIADMK. Fearing backlash from the people, the BJP kept the Act in cold storage (sic).”
Reaffirming the DMK’s stand against the Act, he recalled, “After DMK came to power in 2021, we passed a resolution in #TNLA urging the union government to repeal the #CAA to safeguard the unity of our nation, uphold social harmony, and protect the ideal of secularism enshrined in our constitution.”
Taking a dig at the time of the announcement, Stalin said elections are round the corner and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is trying to “salvage his sinking ship by cynically resurrecting” the CAA exploiting religious sentiments for political gain.
Expressing confidence over people’s support against the Act, he said people of the country will never forgive the BJP for “unleashing this divisive Act.” In a press statement, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan condemned the union government’s move, describing it an attempt to divert attention from livelihood issues and incite religious sentiments for political gain.