Journalists arrested for questioning Lankan refugees

(FASTNEWS | COLOMBO) – A case has been filed against two Indian journalists from Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari for visiting Sri Lankan refugee camps to seek the views of Lankan refugees on the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act.

Indian media reports say, the journalists have been filed by the Kanyakumari district police under non-bailable sections for visiting the camps set up in the coastal district.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, which was passed recently by the Indian Parliament, excludes Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka from its domain.

Earlier, prominent religious leader Sri Ravi Shankar had urged the Indian Central government to consider giving Indian citizenship to citizens from Sri Lanka, who have been “living in the country as refugees” for a long time.

Seeking Indian citizenship for over 100,000 Sri Lankans, the spiritual leader said that they are living in the country as refugees for the last 35 years.

The contentious Act paved way for granting Indian citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Buddhists and Jains from three neighbouring countries – Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

According to the amended law, non-Muslim migrants who fled these three countries and came to India before December 31, 2014, due to religious persecution, will be given Indian citizenship.

The Indian Central government has come under sharp criticism for granting Indian citizenship on the ground of religion with several people across the country protesting against the amended law. (NR)