With the view of condemning the support of ADMK party members for the Citizenship Amendment Bill in the Rajya Sabha who have voted in favor of the bill amidst the furor, dismay, and dissents erupted in the Upper house, the opposition party of Tamil Nadu DMK has announced that the party would be staging the district wise protests across the state on December 17th, 2019.

On Thursday, DMK President and state's opposition leader M K Stalin released a statement through which he stated that the party would host the district wise protests to accuse and to condemn the anti-Tamil ADMK government's consent for the bill and its support for anti-Tamil BJP government at the Center. He further cited that the bill has cleared the Upper house, where the BJP lacks the majority, with the support from 11 ADMK MPs.

His statement to stage the protest comes a day after he alleged that the Citizenship Amendment Bill is unconstitutional. He stated that the bill is a direct assault on secularism, equality, and fraternity. He claimed that by supporting the bill ADMK has exposed that it support such immoral legislation. He asked the central leadership of the ADMK party the reason for having a separate party if the party keep supporting the BJP. M K Stalin further accused the support of the ADMK party of the bill as a betrayal for Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.

On Wednesday, amidst the uproar that was spurred by the opposition parties, the bill came through lenient ratification on the tough floor of opposition. 125 members of the Upper house voted in favor while 105 voiced against the bill and by attaining the majority votes in 245 member house, the bill was cleared with the support of the BJP allied and regional parties. Of those 125 marks, 11 members of the ADMK party, the ruling party of Tamil Nadu had supported the bill.

While tabling the support, the ADMK MPs had requested Home Minister Amit Shah to induct the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees and Muslims under the bourn but eventually, they kept their support for the bill despite their request was demeaned. They seemed to be raising the voice for the sake of backing the Tamil refugees while they asserted their position of supporting the bill.

Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to grant Indian citizenship and provides the status of Indian national for the non-Muslim refugees of Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan who fled their countries after facing series of religious persecution and suppression at their homeland. By consenting the legislation that amends the Citizenship Act 1955, the bill would induct Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis - excluding Rohingya Muslims and Sri Lankan Tamils, who migrated to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan till December 31st, 2014 as Indian citizens by revoking their identities as 'illegal immigrants'. With the view of challenging and to oppose the handicapped bill that violates Article 14 of the Indian constitution which guarantees equal rights, The Indian Union Muslim League had filed a writ petition in the Supreme court on Thursday. The bill is now on the President's table to obtain his consent after which it will be shaped as a law.

Also read: https://thenewstuff.in/cab-directs-heated-tug-war-between-tamil-nadus-top-parties