Over 20,000 people marched along the Walajah road on Wednesday, 19 February, near the Secretariat, demanding that the Tamil Nadu Assembly pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The Madras High Court on Tuesday restrained the Federation of Tamil Nadu Islamic and other political organisations from laying siege to the Secretariat.
A bench of justices M Sathyanaraya and R Hemalatha granted interim injunction till 11 March, restraining the Muslim outfit groups from organising the agitation. However, thousands came together to raise slogans and speak up against the controversial legislations.
'We Are Fighting for Everyone, Not Just Muslims’
Leaders of the groups organising the protest had instructed all of them to carry only the national flag.
“We want to tell Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami that we are fighting for him also. This is not just a fight by and for the Muslims. We want the Tamil Nadu Assembly to pass a resolution just like the Kerala government. So many of us are on the roads protesting, shouldn’t he listen?” said one of the protesters.
Strong words being held up as banners or even worn at the massive rally in Chennai today.
(Photo: Smitha TK/ The Quint)
On Monday, 17 February, the opposition leader, DMK President MK Stalin had demanded to speak about moving an anti-CAA resolution but he was refused permission by the Speaker.
Thamimum Ansari, an MLA belonging to the IUML party, too had appealed it.
“Unwanted acts should not happen in our state. All are living here as brothers and sisters. People are protesting all over India against CAA. In Chennai also protest is going on in a peaceful way,” he had said in the Assembly.
DMK, along with Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), had staged a walkout.
A Peaceful Protest Despite the Large Numbers
Elaborate security arrangements were made and over 1000 police personnel were deployed all over the Walajah road, Mount road and Triplicane high road. Three temporary police booths were installed and drones were used to monitor the situation.
Thousands of volunteers stood as a human chain along the entire stretch to ensure women had a separate passage to walk through. Several of them constantly went around to ensure the slogans that were raised were pertaining to the protest only and that no one was inconvenienced.
Though police were deployed to maintain peace and divert traffic, a few volunteers joined in to help people cross the roads.
Volunteers were walking around handing out water, juice, fruits and biscuit packets to everyone, especially women and children.
The protest ended at noon and all dissenters dispersed peacefully.
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