CHENNAI: WITH every passing day, the number of protestors hitting the streets against the Centre’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act only seems to be growing. On Sunday, protests were organised at Chepauk and Besant Nagar in the city, where several thousands participated.
Over a thousand people, including a large number of children and women, participated in the protest organised by the Masjid Quereshia Jamat in Chepauk on Sunday morning.
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The protesters urged the Centre to repeal the Act, and raised placards reading ‘Reject CAB, Boycott NRC’. Chants such as ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ and ‘Azadi’ hovered in the air while the people waved the Tricolour.
As the crowd kept swelling, one lane of the Wallajah Road was blocked by the protesters for almost three hours. Hundreds of police were deployed on the spot. Addressing the people, speakers touched upon the need for a secular country, ‘to retrieve democracy from clutches of Hindutva’.
"The fight is not between Hindus and Muslims, but Indians and fascism. Citizenship based on religion is undemocratic and against secular principles," said one of the speakers.
A protest was organised on Sunday evening by the Alhe Sunnat Jamat on the Triplicane High Road, near the big mosque. Residents of Triplicane and Royapettah gathered in large numbers to show solidarity. Both the protests ended peacefully.
Musical protest in Bessy
Performing artists from the across the city gathered at Besant Nagar in dissent. Several women who participated in the protest, irrespective of their religion wore Hijabs and held placards that read: “Modi, can you identify me by my clothing?” Some even wore the Indian flag as Hijabs.
In addition to the slogans and speeches we have seen in different locations around the city over the last week, the protest on Sunday was a potpourri of rap, beatboxing, singing, and reading. People, young and old and from several religions and walks of life, participated.
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The protest ended with the reading out of the names of those who died during the Anti-CAA and NRC protests across the country and observing a minute of silence.
The silence took a sharp turn as performing artists entered the limelight. Artists from Wake up India rapped in criticism of the CAA and NRC as common public joined in.
Artists from Casteless Collective too performed at the protest.
People rendered songs written by Tamil poet Bharathiyar as many others read excerpts from books or essays written by Ambedkar, Periyar and Gandhi.
There was also a reading of the preamble to the Constitution in Tamil and English.
People raised several slogans including Create jobs, not detention centres; We want onions not, tear gas; Diversity not dogma is the Indian culture we want to preserve; Swatchh Bharath is not equal to ethnic cleansing; #oksanghi; The cow ate my documents and ‘Aapki baar mooditu okkaru’, among others.
While initially, the protest was planned near the Besant Nagar beach, the police changed the venue near the Besant Nagar bus depot at the last minute, confusing many who were searching for the venue.
Further, as only a small space was allocated by the road for the protest itself, the traffic was blocked.
BJP says nothing to worry
Former BJP state president La Ganesan asserted that
Tamils have nothing to worry on CAA which has been amended to offer citizenship to already identified 31,313 refugees who mostly came from Bangladesh.
“Due to lack of awareness, Tamils and other citizens of the country have been protesting against the Act,” he said.
“First of all, the protesters of Tamil Nadu should know that there is nothing harmful to Tamils by the CAA. And nothing of harm to existing Muslim citizens also. The act has been amended only for providing citizenship to already identified 31,313 refugees, who are mostly from Bangladesh and most of whom are Hindu,” he said.
Traders’ union to join DMK stir
Vanigarsangangalin Peramaippu (a traders union) declared that it will take part in the DMK organised rally which has been scheduled on Monday.
Will protect rights of minorities, says CM
While claiming that some people were spreading misconceptions about the Citizens Amendment Act, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the people of State to maintain peace.
He assured that the ruling AIADMK would always protect the welfare of minority communities, and would work to achieve dual citizenship for Sri Lankan refugees.
The statement comes just a day ahead of the rally planned by the DMK. This government follows the footsteps of late chief ministers MGR and Jayalalithaa, who guarded the rights of minorities, he said.
A section of protestors have been campaigning asking Tamil Nadu to join the list of States which had assured not to implement CAA or NRC.