Lakhs of protesters took to the streets in Bengaluru and Chennai as people united against the implementation of the new citizenship law recently passed by Parliament. While the meeting and protests were planned by Muslim Jaamats at Khuddus Saheb Idgah grounds on Miller’s Road in Bengaluru, the DMK and its allies took out a huge protest rally in Chennai.
In a show of strength, the DMK warned of intensifying the agitation by mobilising apolitical sections of society till the Centre withdrew the 'draconian' law. DMK president M.K. Stalin led the peaceful rally and leaders of alliance parties, including senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram, walked alongside him holding placards against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CCA).
Cadres of DMK and other allies, holding party flags, banners and placards, marched on as the procession, taken out amid tight security and deployment of drones for monitoring, wounded its way from downtown Egmore to Rajarathinam stadium, a distance of about 2.5 km. "Take back CAA, Don't stoke communal passions," were among the slogans raised by them against the Centre.
The ruling AIADMK, which supported the law, also came in for sharp criticism from the protesters.
The crowd at the Bengaluru rally in Quddus Saheb Eidgah grounds spilled over to adjacent roads, including Miller's Road, Frazer Town, Tasker Town, and Pulkeshi Nagar. There was heavy police deployment in the area. Bengaluru police have asked citizens to avoid Cantonment area till 4pm.
Meanwhile, protests against the CAA entered its eight day on Monday at the Jamia Millia Islamia, with hundreds continuing to throng the streets outside the university. Students from several schools in Noornagar, Batla House and Okhla also attended the protests on Monday.
(With PTI inputs)
