Covid-19 impact: Anti-CAA protests in TN called off

Chennai, March 18 (IANS) Heeding to the plea of the community leaders and the Tamil Nadu government to prevent spread of coronavirus, the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) stir is being called off temporarily in the state, according to a Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath (TNTJ) senior leader, here on Wednesday.

“We don’t want to trouble people. The Chief Minister recently requested us to call off the protest as a precautionary measure to prevent spread of coronavirus,” P. Abdul Rahman, TNTJ Vice-President, told IANS after holding the ‘fill the jail’ stir.

“A large number of Muslims, including women, participated in the protest held in 36 districts despite the coronavirus risk,” Rahman said. While the state police declined to arrest protestors, TNTJ members too didn’t press.

The agitation was announced long back, he said and added, to avoid inconvenience to the people, the protest time was reduced to one hour.

On Monday, K.M. Kader Mohideen, National President of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), had urged people to stop the Shaheen Bagh-type protests in Tamil Nadu as the blame of spreading coronavirus might fall on the community.

He said that all over the world, steps were being taken to prevent congregation of people to avoid the spread of coronavirus and appealed TN Muslims to call protests off.

On Tuesday, actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan had appealed the community members to stop their protest and safeguard themselves against the coronavirus outbreak.

–IANS

vj/pcj