In a significant decision, the Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi, on Saturday, September 26, said he would take steps to ensure that the Centre granted citizenship to the more than 100,000 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in the state if they desired so.
He made the announcement at a function bringing down the curtains on the year-long centenary celebrations of C N Annadurai in Kancheepuram, the DMK founder’s birthplace. Earlier, the DMK passed a resolution requesting the party chief to take steps to ensure that the Tamil refugees in the state were given the option of citizenship under the Indian Citizenship Act.
As many as 73,572 refugees have been staying in 115 camps across Tamil Nadu and more than 30,000 reside outside the camps in different parts of the state. Following the end of the Eelam war and defeat of the LTTE, there has been much apprehension among the refugees that they would be sent back home against their wish. The announcement comes as a relief, representatives of Tamil groups said.
