Kamal Haasan's MNM files petition in SC challenging Citizenship Amendment Act

Actor turned politician Kamal Haasan's party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) on Monday filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019.

In its petition, MNM stated that ensuring special protection for religious minorities, while excluding it for linguistic minorities is unconstitutional.

The CAA should be declared as unconstitutional as it is violative of Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution of India and therefore should be struck down, the MNM claimed in the petition.

Earlier on Wednesday Haasan had criticised the amended Citizenship Bill terming it as a "stupid attempt" to make India a country for one sect.

"It is stupid to attempt to make India a country for one sect. Young India will reject such plans soon. It is not primitive India for your old plans," he said in a statement on the Citizenship Amendment Bill.

The MNM leader further said: "We have a duty to amend the Constitution if there was any error, but to attempt to amend a flawless Constitution is a betrayal. The Centre's law and plan are akin to a crime of attempting surgery on a healthy person. Those who attempted and failed are trying again."

The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill became an Act on November 12.