Why Sri Lankan Tamilians Are Left Out Of CAA Purview, Questioned Karnataka Minister
Sri Lankan Tamils Who Sought Refuge In India During LTTE Sri Lankan Government Strife Should Be Covered Under CAA, Says Karnataka Minister
While, stating that a Citizenship (Amendment) Act implementation in Karnataka did not come up for discussion at the Cabinet meeting held on Thursday, Minister for Revenue Krishna Byre Gowda on Thursday wanted to know “Why Tamilians (migrated from Sri Lanka) have been left out from CAA purview?” and questioned the Central Government ``Doesn't South India's political sufferers matter (to the Central Government)?” He stated “They too are sufferers.”
Responding to a query on CAA implementation in Karnataka, the Minister stated that “They too are Indians and Hindus.” Gowda assured that after discussions the State Government will take a suitable decision on it and said this was his personal opinion on CAA.
He asked the Central Government to put behind bars if anybody is found to have any allegiance with the Liberation of Tamil Tigers Eelam (LTTE). He pointed out that in the fight between Sri Lankan government and LTTE, many innocent people suffered and left Srilanka to seek refuge in India.
Many of them now reside in south India and some might have settled in various parts of Tamil Nadu and also in Karnataka after having migrated from Sri Lanka. He further stated that it was a possibility and “I do not know much of it".
The Minister stated that these people from Sri Lanka are original inhabitants of the country who worked in tea estates of Sri Lanka before they returned back to their motherland after conflict escalated between LTTE and Sri Lankan government and said “Why are they not brought under CAA?”
Commenting on the conflict between the Sri Lankan government and LTTE which ended a few years back, the Minister said “It was an ethnic conflict and ethnicity is also a form of identity and also it has a religious angle to it.”
“They are real political sufferers. They lost lands, lives and deserted Sri Lanka owing to conflict there and have settled in the country probably in Karnataka also,” said the Minister and termed “It is a genuine case.”