CHENNAI: CPI state secretary R Mutharasan on Monday condemned the BJP government at the centre for notifying the rules for the Citizenship Amendment Act and sought its immediate withdrawal.

"The announcement of the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act in the run-up to the Parliamentary General Elections is an attempt to divert people's attention from livelihood issues such as price rise, tax burden, unemployment, debt burden, caste oppression and increasing attacks on women to incite religious sentiments to seek political gain, " he said in a statement.

Pointing out that citizenship rights will only be given to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians who have left Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan due to persecution and are living here till December 31, 2014, he said that the Citizenship Amendment Act 2019 says persecuted Muslims do not have the right to citizenship - this amendment will divide people who live in brotherhood in the tradition of unity in diversity.

He recalled that the entire country rose up and fought against the amendment because it would create a disaster of hatred and enmity against the people of a particular ethnic minority.