MADURAI: No

Muslim

born in

would be affected by the National Population Register (

), said chief minister

on Sunday. Like a fortress, the AIADMK government would continue to protect the rights and interests of Muslims, he said.

Residents were free to omit three questions in the NPR, including one regarding the birthplaces of their parents, and no records need to be submitted, he said.

The

stated this at two events – in Ramanathapuram and Virudhungar. He laid foundation stones for government medical colleges in both places.

Palaniswami asked Muslim women to give up their protests and extend their support to the state government.

He said, “Tamil Nadu is a garden of peace, where people of all creeds and castes live in harmony. The government functions on the basis of secularism and continues to protect the minority sections,” he said.

“I stated the same in the assembly. But in recent times, some people, who could not tolerate this, were spreading rumours with a malicious intent for political gains,’’ he said.

The people of Tamil Nadu should remain united and should not pay any heed to false information being spread by divisive forces, he added.