A resolution against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed by the Tamil Nadu state assembly on Wednesday.
State chief M. K. Stalin moved the resolution, asking the federal government to protect and ensure unity and communal harmony in the country by repealing the law.
Stalin said the law is against the constitutional secular principles and would not be good for religious harmony in the nation.
"Democracy states that a country's administration should take under consideration the thoughts and emotions of the entire people. But this Citizenship Amendment Act is discriminating refugees under religion and country of origin, instead of accepting them", said Stalin.
He added that the CAA is snatching away the possibility of Sri Lankan Tamils gaining citizenship.
Passing a resolution against the CAA was one of the poll promises of the Stalin-led Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), the governing party of Tamil Nadu.
The main opposition party of the state, the All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), staged a walkout against the resolution. The AIADMK alleged that they were not given an opportunity to raise "people’s issues".
The CAA aims to fast-track citizenship for six minority communities – Hindus, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, and Christians from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh. It is viewed as contentious, as Muslims point out that it excludes people of their faith.