CAA would not have become law if AIADMK had voted against it in Rajya Sabha: T.N. Minister Duraimurugan

DMK Minister Duraimurugan criticizes AIADMK for supporting Citizenship Amendment Act, discusses Lok Sabha election candidates and water sharing issues.

DMK general secretary and Minister for Water Resources, Duraimurugan, on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, said that the Citizenship (Amendment) Act would not have become a law if the AIADMK had voted against the Bill when it was tabled before the Rajya Sabha in 2019.

Speaking to journalists after inaugurating a cooperative-run petrol pump in Katpadi, Mr. Duraimurugan said that it was the AIADMK that voted in favour of the Bill in December 2019, in the Upper House, after it was duly passed by the Lok Sabha. “If they [AIADMK] had voted against it then, the Bill would not become an Act now,” he said.

Mr. Duraimurugan was responding to a query on former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s opposition to the Act after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on March 11, notified the Citizenship Amendment Rules, 2024 that would enable the implementation of the CAA.

It may be recalled that when the Bill was tabled before the Upper House by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, it was passed with 125 votes in favour and 105 against. The legislation was supported by AIADMK that had 11 MPs in the Rajya Sabha then.

Asked about DMK’s list of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the DMK general secretary said that the party has been waiting for the Congress to give its list of candidates and constituencies. Once this list was received, the DMK would have its candidates list ready in a day or two.

The State government will also get necessary orders from the Supreme Court for the release of Tamil Nadu’s share of water by the Karnataka government, which has never released water on its own, he replied, in answer to a question.

Earlier, Mr. Duraimurugan inaugurated a petrol pump, which has been set by the Vellore District Consumers Cooperative Wholesalers Stores Ltd. Similar outlets curretly function in Arcot and Cheyyar towns. DMK MP for Katpadi constituency, D.M. Kathir Anand, Collector V.R.Subbulaxmi and Mayor Sujatha Anandakumar were present on the occasion.