Madurai: The Central government has moved the Madras High Court appealing against an order issued by a Madurai HC judge to consider granting Indian citizenship to Sri Lankan refugees. A petition was filed at the Madurai Branch of Madras High court by the Sri Lankan refugees who were staying at a camp in Trichy and Kottapattu.
The petition which was moved before the Madurai Branch of Madras High court stated, "We are natives of Tamil Nadu. During British rule, our ancestors went to the tea estates in Sri Lanka as wage labourers for survival. We returned to Tamil Nadu, due to the issue going there. We were put in the refugee camp as we arrived illegally without proper travel documents. We should not be considered refugees, but as returnees and should be granted Indian citizenship.”
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The judge, while hearing the petition, ordered, "Petitioners should apply to their respective district collectors for Indian citizenship. Collectors must submit these applications to the Central government for a recommendation without any delay. The government must consider these applications and issue an order within 16 weeks. It should not be rejected citing technical reasons."
An appeal was filed on behalf of the Central government against the order of the judge. The appeal came up for hearing on Friday before the bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Sivagnyanam.
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The lawyer, who appeared on behalf of the Centre, argued that those who came to Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka were illegal immigrants. He added that those people should not be given citizenship to which the Madras High Court bench questioned why the Centre had appealed against the petition rather than considering or rejecting it.
Adjourning the hearing till August 23, the bench asked the Tamil Nadu government to file its response.
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