Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi placing four requests before the Union government for the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils living in the State.

Mr. Stalin requested the Union government for rescinding earlier administrative instructions that barred the consideration of citizenship applications from Sri Lankan Tamils.

Mr. Stalin, in his letter, sought to flag the matter, which he termed was of “profound humanitarian, constitutional, and national importance concerning Sri Lankan Tamils”, who have sought refuge in India, predominantly in Tamil Nadu, for over four decades.

He requested for issuing an executive clarification waiving passport and visa requirements, where appropriate, for the purpose of citizenship or long-term visa applications, based on verified identity documentation issued by the Tamil Nadu government.

The CM requested for delegating appropriate powers to designated district-level authorities for streamlined processing and also requested the Union government for formally clarifying the legal status of registered Sri Lankan Tamil nationals sheltered in India up to January 9, 2015.

“These individuals have lived in India with dignity, discipline, and deep cultural affinity for more than four decades. Their presence has been supported and regulated in coordination with the Union government. The continued characterisation of their status as irregular does not reflect the humanitarian context of their entry nor the State-sanctioned nature of their stay.”

Since 1983, successive governments of Tamil Nadu, with the support and concurrence of the Union government, have extended shelter, subsistence support, education, and healthcare to Sri Lankan Tamils, who fled ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, he said.

As of February 15, approximately 89,000 individuals continued to reside in Tamil Nadu — a significant proportion of whom have lived in India for more than 30 years, and nearly 40% of whom were born on Indian soil, Mr. Stalin pointed out.

“While the State has fulfilled its humanitarian responsibilities with commitment and compassion, these individuals remain in a state of prolonged legal uncertainty. Despite their decades-long residence and integration into the social fabric, many continue to lack access to durable legal solutions such as citizenship or long-term visa status,” Mr. Stalin said.

The Tamil Nadu government had constituted an advisory committee that undertook detailed study of the status of these Sri Lankan Tamils and had presented recommendations.

One of the recommendations was that the demographic assessment undertaken by the committee indicated that “several categories of Sri Lankan Tamils are eligible for regularisation under existing legal frameworks — including those born in India prior to June 30, 1987, individuals born to one Indian parent, spouses of Indian citizens, persons of Indian origin with lineage documentation, and those otherwise eligible for long-term visas.”

Mr. Stalin underlined: “I wish to state that the 2003 amendment to the Citizenship Act, which introduced the category of “illegal migrant,” has had the unintended consequence of retrospectively affecting those who entered India under extraordinary humanitarian circumstances and with the tacit approval of the Union government.”

The administrative instructions issued in 1986 have constrained the acceptance of citizenship applications from this community, thereby creating barriers to resolution, Mr. Stalin contended.

“However, recent policy developments — particularly the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order, 2025 — signal a constructive and humanitarian approach. A formal clarification that registered Sri Lankan Tamil nationals sheltered up to January 9, 2015 shall not be treated as “illegal migrants” would provide much-needed legal certainty.”

Judicial pronouncements, including the judgment of the Madras High Court in P. Ulaganathan Vs. Government of India (2019), have also emphasised the need for a pragmatic and humanitarian interpretation of the law in such cases, Mr. Stalin pointed out. (The Hindu)

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has urged Indian Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar to initiate immediate diplomatic efforts with the Sri Lankan Government to secure the release of all the detained fishermen.

“I wish to bring to your kind attention the recent apprehension of 35 Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu and their fishing boats by the Sri Lankan Navy,” Stalin informed Jaishankar in a DO (Demi-Official) letter on Monday.

He explained that on Monday, the Sri Lankan Navy detained 31 fishermen from Nagapattinam along with their three mechanised fishing boats. On the same day, in a separate incident, four fishermen from Ramanathapuram District were also apprehended, along with their country craft.

“These recurrent incidents have caused profound distress among the fishing communities of Tamil Nadu, whose lives and livelihoods are inextricably linked to the sea. Each apprehension not only deprives families of their primary means of sustenance but also instils a deep sense of fear and insecurity. As of now, 114 fishermen and 247 boats are under the custody of Sri Lankan authorities,” the letter pointed out.

Stalin requested the Union Minister to initiate immediate diplomatic efforts with the Sri Lankan Government to secure the release of all the detained fishermen from Tamil Nadu along with their fishing boats. (DT Next)

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has drawn the attention of Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to two latest incidents of fishermen from Tamil Nadu being arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy.

According to Indian media, the Deccan Herald, Stalin had urged the Foreign Minister to take immediate diplomatic efforts to prevent such arrests and secure the expeditious release of all fishermen and fishing boats in their custody.

The two incidents, on November 9 and 11, have sent shock waves among the people in Tamil Nadu with PMK founder S Ramadoss wondering when the Sri Lankan Navy would stop such violations.

Chief Minister Stalin has also pointed out that the Sri Lankan Navy’s apprehension of Tamil Nadu fishermen in 2024 was the highest in the last seven years.

The increased frequency of arrests not only disrupted their livelihoods but also caused immense distress to their families, Stalin said in a statement.

‘On 09.11.2024, the Sri Lankan Navy took into custody twenty-three fishermen from Rameswaram, two mechanized fishing boats bearing registration numbers IND-TN-10-MM-958 and IND-TN-10-MM-641, and an unregistered boat, he said, adding: ‘Further, on 12.11.2024, another fishing boat (Registration No.IND-TN-06-MM-8478) from Nagapattinam and 12 fishermen were apprehended.’

Ramadoss, in a statement, urged the Indian Government to arrange for a meeting of fishermen representatives of both nations to find an early solution to the imbroglio as it was decided in the joint working group meeting on the issue on November 29. (Newswire/ Deccan Herald)

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday inaugurated over 1,500 newly built houses in 19 Sri Lankan Tamils Rehabilitation Camps spread across 13 districts of the state in India.

According to India media, Deccan Herald, Stalin inaugurated 220 houses at the Melmonavur Camp in Tamil Nadu and interacted with the beneficiaries of the housing scheme. 

In total, 1,591 houses, constructed at a cost of Rs 79.70 crore, were inaugurated by the Chief Minister.

He declared open through video conference new houses in 12 other districts, which includes Tiruvannamalai, Tiruchirappalli, Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Virudhunagar and Sivaganga. He also spoke to beneficiaries in other districts through a video link.

When Stalin spoke to them, beneficiaries expressed satisfaction on the availability of basic amenities. Anganwadi, library, Public Distribution System outlet are also available, they said.

Ministers including Duraimurugan (Water Resources) and I Periyasamy (Rural Development), elected representatives and senior officials were present. 

Chief Minister Stalin had in 2021 renamed the Refugee Camps for Sri Lankan Tamils as Rehabilitation Camps.

Stalin had also announced that 7,469 houses in a dilapidated condition would be constructed afresh.

Out of them, in the first phase, 3,510 houses would be built, he had said. An allocation of Rs 176.02 crore had been made (2021-22) by the government.

Work to construct 3,510 new houses in 35 Rehabilitation Camps for Sri Lankan Tamils spread across 20 districts is on.

Following completion of construction work, 1,591 houses were inaugurated on Sunday (Sep 17).

As many as 58,272 people belonging to 19,498 families have been housed in 104 camps in 29 districts. (NewsWire)

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