A day after the Union government notified the rules to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced that the controversial Act will not be implemented in the state. In a statement released on March 12, Stalin said that the BJP is using CAA for “electoral benefits” and that the Act is opposed to India’s “diversity and secularism”. 

Stalin’s announcement comes in the wake of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also announcing that CAA will not be implemented in Kerala. Both the Left and the Congress in Kerala, had on March 11, slammed the BJP for notifying the CAA rules ahead of the general elections. 

In the statement, Stalin said, “We are forced to ask if the BJP is trying to escape the scrutiny of the Supreme Court, distract the public and garner electoral gains by implementing the Act." He went on to say, "This Act offers no benefits towards solving the problems of the people. Our government's stance is that this Act is absolutely unnecessary and needs to be struck down. Therefore the Tamil Nadu government will in no way allow space for the implementation of CAA. I am resolutely informing the people of Tamil Nadu that our government will not allow for the implementation of any Act in Tamil Nadu that goes against the unity of the country.”

He further added that: “CAA is not only fundamentally opposed to the Indian Constitution, it also goes against the Indian people, who despite differences of religion, language, race, and other backgrounds, are living together in unity. It also goes against the secularism and diversity of the India motherland. Further, it goes against minority communities and [Sri Lankan] Tamils living in camps." 

The CM also recalled in his statement that the DMK, after coming to power in 2021, passed a resolution in the Assembly against the implementation of CAA. Further, in January this year, Stalin had reaffirmed his party's opposition to the Act after Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur claimed that CAA would be implemented across India in a week.At the time, Stalin had said, “The DMK will never allow CAA to be brought in Tamil Nadu. I am repeating this: I will never let CAA set foot in Tamil Nadu.” 

Read: ‘Attempt to polarise Lok Sabha elections’: Congress on CAA implementation