Clashes with cops in Kerala; TN protests despite police denial

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA, continued for the fourth consecutive day, as several youth outfits and organisations took out demonstrations, and even sat at the Raj Bhawan in the state’s capital for hours. The police resorted to using water cannons at the protestors sitting outside the governor’s residence.

Several hundred people took to the streets in Kochi and Kozhikode, demanding the scrapping of CAA. “The new act is divisive and discriminatory and was aimed at polarising the society,” said one of the protestors at the march.

College students led marches in Maharaja’s College in Ernakulam and at the Cochin University of Science and Technology, protesting against the alleged police violence against students of Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University.

In the capital city, youth organisations laid siege to the Raj Bhawan. Workers of the Democratic Youth Federation and Youth Congress were involved in a scuffle with the police.The police used water cannons to disperse the crowd. The situation was brought under control.

In Tamil Nadu, Chennai Police revoked permission to hold a rally in Valluvarkootam, police officials said. However, hundreds, including actor Siddharth, turned up to protest . The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazagham will helm a demonstration on December 23, in which several political parties are expected to participate.