After rally, DMK & allies warn of more protests

Chennai : In a show of strength, the DMK and its allies on Monday took out a huge protest rally here against the amendment to the Citizenship Act and 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.

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.

On culmination of the rally, Stalin in a brief address said the protest was not a march of party workers but a battalion determined to fight against the CAA. "I bow to the Tamil people for taking part in the rally and expressing your sentiments (against the CAA)," he said.

The DMK chief, flanked by Chidambaram and other leaders on the dais, said the opposition to CAA will not stop with today's agitation.

The protests will be taken forward after consulting allies and by mobilising apolitical sections of the society till such time the Centre withdrew the "draconian," legislation, he said.

Stalin, whose party had days ago held state-wide protest against the CAA, said a "massive demonstration" will be held if the Centre did not budge from its stand.