Shruti Suman
Tamil superstar Vijay expressed strong opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, labeling it as “unacceptable” and urging the Tamil Nadu government to resist its implementation within the state. The CAA seeks to provide citizenship to persecuted minorities from three neighboring countries. The law officially took effect yesterday following a gazette notification issued by the central government.
Vijay, who recently unveiled his new political party, Tamizha Vetri Kazhagam, conveyed in a press release that the implementation of the CAA stems from “divisive politics.”
“A legislation like the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 is not conducive to maintaining social harmony among the citizens of our nation. The Tamil Nadu government should ensure that this law is not enforced within the state,” he stated.
Despite his foray into politics prior to the elections, Vijay’s TVK party has decided not to participate in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. He has declared that his party’s debut in electoral politics will be during the 2026 Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
In a similar vein, another prominent actor from the South, Kamal Haasan, accused the government of attempting to sow division among the populace and disrupt India’s harmony ahead of the elections.
“Out of a desperate bid to secure victory in the imminent Lok Sabha elections, the BJP Government hastily enacted the Citizenship Amendment Act, just before the elections. The timing of this enactment raises further questions, especially considering the Supreme Court is deliberating on the constitutional validity of this law,” remarked Mr. Haasan.
Mr. Haasan highlighted that his organization, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), has consistently opposed the Act both legally and politically, and was the first party to challenge the CAA in the Supreme Court. He added, “Those who seek to divide our citizens on the basis of religion, language, or caste will face a reckoning in the upcoming elections.”
MNM will be participating in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the DMK.
Under the provisions of the CAA, the central government is empowered to grant citizenship to individuals belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Jain, or Christian communities from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, provided they entered India on or before December 31, 2014, fleeing religious persecution. This excludes Muslims and Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.
