Ask Tamil Nadu Govt to Adopt Resolution

AMN / CHENNAI

Thousands of people on Wednesday participated in a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Chennai.

The protest was held under the aegis of the Tamil Nadu Islamia Iyakkangal Matrum Arasiyal Katchigalin Koottamaippu, a federation of state Muslim outfits and political parties demanding that the Assembly pass a resolution against the CAA, the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register.

The protest was held near the State Guest House at Chepauk. However, the protesters could not lay siege to the secretariat, as planned, since the city police had made elaborate security arrangements and blocked entry points like the Wallajah Salai. The protest was peaceful.

The Madras High Court on Tuesday restrained the Federation from laying siege to the Secretariat, but the protesters said they will defy the court’s order. With the roads leading to Secretariat blocked, the protesters had to curtail their march at Chepauk, a few kilometres ahead of the Secretariat.

Protesters from different parts of the city and Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Chengalpet and Vellore districts started coming to near the venue in buses and vans. Most protesters assembled at venue by 11am.

The protesters shouted anti-CAA slogans and slogans against the central government and the state government. They demanded that the state government move a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act. They ended the protest around 12.45pm by singing the National Anthem. Police had on Friday night dealt a protest sit-in in Chennai with lathi charge which triggered protests across the state.