CM writes to PM Modi demanding citizenship and permanent solution for Sri Lankan Tamils
Tamil Nadu: Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has written a letter to Prime Minister Modi, requesting him to take concrete steps to grant citizenship to Sri Lankan Tamils living in Tamil Nadu for a long time.
In this regard, Chief Minister Stalin has sent a letter to the Prime Minister: The Tamil Nadu government, with the support and approval of the central government, has been continuously providing housing, livelihood assistance, education, and medical facilities to Sri Lankan Tamils who fled their country to save their lives due to ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka since 1983.
Persistent uncertainty: Currently, approximately 89,000 Sri Lankan Tamils live here. Most of them have been here for more than 30 years. 40 percent of them were born on Indian soil.
While the Tamil Nadu government is fulfilling its humanitarian responsibilities well, Sri Lankan Tamils have long been living in a state of legal uncertainty. They have not yet received concrete legal solutions such as citizenship or long-term visas.
Key Suggestions: To address these issues, the Tamil Nadu government formed an advisory committee headed by the Minister for Tamil Welfare to conduct a detailed study on the situation of Sri Lankan Tamils and make key recommendations.
Accordingly, it was suggested that Sri Lankan Tamils in different categories, such as those born in India before 30.6.1987, those with an Indian parent, those married to an Indian, and those of Indian origin, be eligible for citizenship opportunities.
Bad Impact: The Citizenship Amendment Act, introduced by the Central Government in 2003, introduced the category of illegal immigrants. This amendment has had a negative impact on Sri Lankan Tamils.
Recent policy developments by the Central Government, particularly the Immigration and Foreigners (Exclusion) Ordinance, reflect a humanitarian approach. Accordingly, the Central Government should issue a formal clarification that Sri Lankan Tamils who sought refuge in India as of 9.1.2015 should not be considered illegal immigrants.
This clarification will provide much-needed legal clarity and ensure a long-term legal solution for Sri Lankan Tamils. Furthermore, the previous executive order that halted the processing of Sri Lankan Tamil citizenship applications should be rescinded.
On humanitarian grounds… Sri Lankan Tamils applying for citizenship or long-term visa applications based on identity documents issued and verified by the Tamil Nadu government should be provided with an administrative explanation waiving the passport and visa requirements as per current practice.
District-level officials (District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police) should be given the necessary powers to expedite the processing and action on citizenship and long-term visa applications. He said the Prime Minister should take a well-informed decision on this matter on humanitarian grounds.
