A major humanitarian push from Tamil Nadu: CM M.K. Stalin has formally requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grant citizenship or permanent visas to 89,000 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees enduring legal uncertainty for decades.
Since the 1983 Sri Lankan civil war erupted, Tamil Nadu has hosted these families, approved by the center. Successive state administrations delivered essentials—rations, education, healthcare—building a supportive ecosystem. Over 30 years later, most are long-term residents, 40% native-born, fully embedded in Indian life.
Stalin’s DO letter spotlights an advisory panel’s report, chaired by the Non-Resident Tamils Minister, pinpointing eligible categories for status normalization: India-born before mid-1987, Indian-parented children, Indian spouses, origin-linked individuals, and extended visa qualifiers.
Legal hurdles arose from 2003 Act changes deeming them ‘illegal’ despite authorized entry, plus 1986 application freezes. Glimmers of progress include the 2025 Immigration Exemption Order.
Drawing on the Madras High Court’s humane 2019 directive in P. Ulganathan vs. Government of India, Stalin proposed four remedies: lift archaic bans, authorize passport waivers on state IDs, enable district-level processing, and declare 2015-registered refugees non-illegal.
For 40 years, they’ve contributed respectfully, with state sanction. Perpetual irregularity belies their reality. The CM is optimistic PM Modi will deliver a dignified, permanent fix for these deserving families.