Thousands of people marched on the streets with DMK president MK Stalin to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Chennai on Monday. Several senior leaders of opposition parties including that of Congress, CPI, CPM, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) participated in the mega rally to register their protest against the new law. The rally was held without police permission and saw the participation of senior leaders like P Chidambaram, Dhayanithi Maran, K Kanimozhi, Vaiko and several MPs and MLAs from opposition parties. Apart from political leaders and activists, a huge of farmers and traders also walked peacefully. Police have made elaborate security arrangements, deploying over 5,000 cops, riot control vehicles and took other measures to thwart any law and order problem. On Sunday night, the Madras High Court dismissed public interest litigation seeking to stall the agitation. A bench of S Vaidyanathan and PT Asha, while allowing the rally, directed DMK to ensure that no hardship caused to the general public and no public properties are damaged in the protest. The court said political parties would have to bear ‘double the cost’ if any public property is damaged. The agitation will add to the swelling nationwide protests, which turned violent at several places, against the CAA which grants citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, who arrived in India until December 31, 2014.
