Thousands of people, including many members of the Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ), held demonstrations in district headquarters across the State on Saturday, demanding that the Tamil Nadu government pass a resolution against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in the Assembly.
In Chennai, over 3,000 people took out a procession from Parry’s Corner, highlighting demands that included the withdrawal of the controversial citizenship law by the Union government. They also urged the State government not to press ahead with work on the National Population Register and the National Register of Citizens.
Even children and the elderly took part in the procession, which passed through the Second Line Beach Road to reach the Collectorate. The protesters raised slogans against the Narendra Modi government for enacting the CAA which, according to them, discriminated against Muslims.
Memo presented
Office-bearers of the TNTJ presented a memorandum to the District Collector, urging the government to accede to their demands. M. Shamsullah Rahmani, president of the TNTJ, said, “People spontaneously participated in the protests, which were held across the State. As per our estimate, over four lakh people took part to show their opposition to the CAA.”
I. Ansari, State secretary, TNTJ, said, “Muslims were killed in Uttar Pradesh and the houses of Muslims in Bengaluru were demolished following a series of protests. Considering the plight of Muslims, we demand that the State government passes a resolution against the CAA in the Assembly and undertake not to implement the CAA, the NPR and the NRC.”
Similar processions and demonstrations were held in Madurai, Coimbatore, Thanjavur, Tiruppur, Thoothukudi and Kanniyakumari.
