The ruling AIADMK’s assurance in its election manifesto that it would press the Centre to withdraw the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has evoked curiosity, given that last year, the party successfully stonewalled any attempt to get a resolution adopted in the Assembly against the law.
In February 2020, while accusing the DMK of misleading the people about the CAA, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami, addressing the Opposition in the Assembly, said, “Point out which minority [community] living in Tamil Nadu and born in Tamil land is affected [by the CAA]. We will respond to that.”
Speaking in Virudhunagar a few weeks later, the Chief Minister reiterated that his government would protect all the people of the State, irrespective of their caste, creed and community. At the same time, he appealed to the Muslims, particularly women, not to resort to agitations against the law.
A U-turn?
In mid-March, Revenue Minister R.B. Udhayakumar made it clear in the Assembly that no…