Why Lankan Tamils, Muslims left out of CAB? asks Kamal Hassan

NEW DELHI: Taking a swipe at the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, actor turned politician and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan on Tuesday questioned why Sri Lankan Tamils and Muslims were left out of the “genuinely benevolent” legislation.

Kamal Haasan took to his official Twitter handle and wrote, “Why are Tamils who are subjected to a methodic genocide and Muslims facing discrimination, be excluded from the bill? If it’s a genuinely benevolent bill and not a vote garnering exercise, then why won’t this CAB stop to pick up stranded Tamils and troubled Muslims of Sri Lanka?”

Earlier in the day, spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and national award winning lyricist had batted for providing citizenship to Lankan refugees staying in the country for more than three decades.

In a tweet, Ravi Shankar said, “I request the Government of India to consider giving citizenship to more than one lakh Tamil Sri Lankans who are living in this country as refugees for the last 35 years. #CABBill.”

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 was passed after division with 311 members voting in favour and 80 against. The bill will now go to the Rajya Sabha.

The bill makes Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, Christians from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, eligible for citizenship. It seeks to amend the Citizenship Act.