Muslim outfit calls for anti-CAA prison fill-in protest in TN amid COVID-19

At a time when the whole country is battling against the novel coronavirus which has infected 137 people, a Muslim outfit in Tamil Nadu has called for ‘prison fill-in’ protest on Wednesday (March 18) against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

The Tamil Nadu Thowheedh Jamaath (TNTJ) will take up ‘prison fill-in’ protest as a part of other agitations and to intensify them against the CAA.

“The TNTJ has organised various kinds of protests against CAA. This is a part of that protests. The protest is to take place in 18 districts. In Chennai, it is to be organised at Kuralagam, near Madras High Court campus” said Fakhrudeen, deputy secretary, Chennai unit of TNTJ.

However, the announcement comes when the Central and State governments have barred all mass gatherings and shut places which can gather crowd in view of the COVID-19 until the end of this month.

While some other group of activists are demanding to release the prisoners from the jails in the state, on parole, to protect them from coronavirus.

When asked about the possibility of people getting affected with coronavirus, Fakhrudeen said the CAA is more ‘dangerous virus’ than corona.

“We know that people should avoid gathering at a place in this time of pandemic. However, people who protests are now realised that CAA is a major threat than COVID-19. So they are willing to take part in the protests without worrying about their health. They are protesting for their future” he added.

Meanwhile, some Muslim organisations have decided to stop the protests until the retreat of COVID-19, but others are not willing to give up, resulting in disappointment among the Muslim community.