Nagai shops down shutters during anti-CAA stir

The participants assembled at Thittacheri bus stand in Nagapattinam and staged a protest against the Centre’s citizenship law and demanded to withdraw it.

Members, while raising slogans against the Centre, demanded the Tamil Nadu government to adopt a resolution in the State Assembly floor against the Act and urge the Centre to withdraw their move using their ties. Further, they said that the CAA, the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NCR) by the BJP-led Centre have not only targeted Muslims but also the Sri Lankan Tamils andother minority groups who have settled in India.

“We too are Indians and entitled to live as citizens. But the amendments brought out by the BJP is sheer threat to secularism in the country, against which we would continue to raise voice,” they stressed.

Activist and writer V Mathimaran was among those who addressed the participants. More than 150 shops in Thittacheri, Nadukadai and Konthai had downed shutters as part of the agitation. A similar protest was also held at Kumbakonam.

Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) workers on Saturday took out a massive rally in Chennai to protest against the CAA, the NPR and the NRC. People in large numbers joined the agitation. The protesters were seen holding the tricolour, raising slogans and holding posters with slogans against the CAA, NRC and NPR. Heavy police deployment was seen in the area.

Meanwhile, defending the CAA, BJP leader Ram Madhav said even Austria had amended its law to grant citizenship to Jews and asserted that people coming to India for genuine reasons can seek to become its citizens.