CAA against basic principles of Constitution: CPI in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu police detained as many as 500 Left cadres for protesting against the amended Citizenship Act in Chennai on Saturday (December 21).

Close to 200 members of Students Federation of India (SFI), Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) and Discrimination Eradication Front, all affiliated to Left parties, marched towards the Chennai Central Railway Station and attempted to block trains at around 10 am. However, the police stopped them from entering the station premises.

The agitators continued their protest, raising slogans against BJP at the centre for bringing the Act and AIADMK in the state for voting in favour of the bill.

Later, police detained as many as 200 cadres including All India Democratic Women Federation leader Sakunthala, Discrimination Eradication front leader Samuel and SFI leader Mariyappan.

Similarly, CPI cadre attempted to besiege Raj Bhavan in Guindy. In the protest led by CPI veteran leader R Nallakannu, scores of Congress party workers also participated.

Nallakannu slammed the Centre for passing the bill in Parliament without even listening to the views of the people and the political parties.

Terming the act “autocratic”, Nallakannu said the Act was against the basic principles of the Constitution of India.

Even as the protesters marched towards the Raj Bhavan, police stopped them near the Taluk Office Road and detained as many as 300 people.

Though police have not given permission for both the protests organised by the left parties, Saidapet police have registered a case against 25 people on charges of unlawful assembly for attempting to besiege Raj Bhavan.

In a similar protest held in Coimbatore, over 1,000 people participated and condemned the Union Government over the amended Citizenship Act. No violence or untoward incident was reported.

Though police had not given permission for the protest, Coimbatore police have not booked anyone on charges of unlawful assembly.

A senior police official said that they would allow the protest as long as protesters do not involve in any untoward incident and incite violence.