Hundreds Detained in Chennai for Anti-CAA Rally

Hundreds of youths were detained today in Chennai while taking out a rally against Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR). The rally was attended by members of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), Pothudamai Iyakkam and Youth wing of Dravidar Kazhagam.

The protesters demanded that the state government pass a resolution in the state Assembly against the implementation of the CAA, NRC and NPR immediately. They also urged the state government to permit peaceful and democratic protests across the state.

WITHDRAW UNCONSTITUTIONAL CAA

The protests opposing CAA, NRC and NPR are continuing across the state ever since the bill became an act. Various political parties, civil society and religious organisations, youth and student unions are continuing the protest condemning the divisive act. The state government has been claiming that this act won’t affect the minorities. The amendment to grant citizenship based on religion has been met with outrage from the democratic forces and civil society organisations.

The state president of DYFI, N Rejeesh Kumar, while speaking to NewsClick, said, “The union government has used its brute majority to pass such a dangerous and divisive act in Parliament. The government is coming up with different things to divert attention of people from its failures. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has been continuously supporting the Modi government in getting such bills passed in Rajya Sabha. These acts are against the very fundamentals of the Indian Constitution which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been trying to destroy.”

PASS RESOLUTION IN ASSEMBLY

The union ministers and the prime minister are making contradicting statements when it comes to the link between NRC, NPR and CAA. The state government, too, has been claiming that the Muslim community won’t be affected by such acts. The DYFI has demanded that the state government pass a resolution the way Kerala government has done “The AIADMK government should convene a special Assembly session and pass a resolution against the implementation of NPR, NRC and CAA in the state. Apart from Kerala, a few other states are planning to do the same and the Tamil Nadu government must also follow that,” added Rejeesh.

The state government has also been curbing peaceful protests against CAA, NRC and NPR. The protesters in Valluvar Kottam in Chennai were detained earlier last week after they continued their protests for several days. In many other parts of the state, too, the police continue to deny permission for rallies and demonstrations. Cases are being filed against the organisers of anti-CAA protests but the number and intensity of the protests continue to increase.

SIGNATURE CAMPAIGN AGAINST CAA

The Students Federation of India (SFI) conducted a signature campaigns demanding the repeal of CAA, NRC and NPR. The students of Government Arts College in Dharmapuri and Coimbatore signed en masse against the anti constitutional acts in huge banners in the college campuses. They demanded the union government to withdraw the amendments made in the Citizenship act and stop harassing the anti-CAA protesters. SFI cadres are being detained in various universities including Madurai Kamaraj University, Annamalai University for their participation in the protest.