DMK blames AIADMK, PMK for anti-CAA protests

DMK chief MK Stalin on Friday blamed BJP's allies AIADMK and PMK for the ongoing protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act across the country, saying if they had not voted in its favour in the Rajya Sabha, the legislation could have "been stopped."

READ | Citizenship Act Antithetical To Constitution, Urge Centre To Revoke It: DMK

Anti-CAA protests, Stalin blames AIADMK and PMK

Stalin, Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, also warned that protests would be intensified against the new law if the ruling BJP at the Centre did not "pay heed" to the opposition parties' proposed rally here on December 23 against the CAA. Speaking at a Christmas event in his Kolathur constituency, Stalin recalled his party had voted against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha, although the BJP "has brutal strength" in the Lok Sabha. He said the ruling AIADMK and the PMK, both NDA constituents, had voted in favour of the bill then, now an act.

"The legislation could have been stopped then itself had the 11 Rajya Sabha members of AIADMK, the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, and the one PMK member, had voted against the bill along with five DMK MPs," he said.

READ: DMK, Allies To Hold Mass Anti-CAA Agitation In Chennai On Dec 23

"And it is because they voted in its favour, not just Tamil Nadu, but the entire country is burning.. there are riots. These 12 Rajya Sabha members (from AIADMK and PMK) are the reason that India is burning," he said.

READ | Tamil Nadu: MK Stalin Announces Massive Rally Against CAA In Chennai

That is why "so many riots, protests, demonstrations" and other forms of anti-CAA agitations were happening across the country, Stalin said. Referring to his party's proposed December 23 protest, he said plans were afoot to hold it in a grand manner, with the DMK's allies joining it. "If the Central government does not pay heed to that, we will soon organise the next protest," he added. On December 12, the CAA had passed the Rajya Sabha test, with 125 votes in favour and 105 against it, with the BJP romping home with the support of the AIADMK, JD-U, SAD, BJD, TDP and YSR Congress Party.

WATCH: DMK Chief Stalin Protests Against Citizenship Act In Tamil Nadu