Why arrest us when we express our emotions through a cultural act of drawing an arisi maavu kolam in the month of Margazhi, say protesters.
Chennai: Even as the Chennai Police detained five students for drawing anti Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) kolams, DMK has called out to all its cadre to draw such kolams as a mark of protest against the acts.
Condemning the city police for detaining the students, DMK MP M.K. Kanimozhi, called out to the members of the party’s women wing to draw kolams with the words “NO CAA, NO NRC”.
“Based on the advice of our leader, I urge our party members to draw anti CAA, NRC kolams in front of their houses as a mark of protest,” she said.
DMK Leader M.K. Stalin, also took to twitter condemning the arrest of the students claiming that the government had denied them the fundamental rights.. He added that the “earthworm government” should know and respect human rights.
The announcement came following the arrest of five students, Gayatri Kandhadai, U.S. Madan Kumar, Kalyani, Pragathi and Aarthi all from Chennai, for drawing kolams in few streets of Besant Nagar on Sunday morning.
The students along with some residents of Besant Nagar, drew kolams in front of their houses with words including “Revoke CAA”, “We oppose NRC”, “No to NRC, NPR”. Tamils words were also used in the kolams they drew.
Their act was immediately opposed by the J5 Shashtri Nagar police who entered into a verbal quarrel with the protesters. The protesters were later removed from the area and were put at a Community Hall opposite to the Besant Nagar bus depot.
Three advocates who went to meet the students were also detained by the police.
As the issue surfaced, Chennai police explained that the protesters were creating a nuisance to public by gathering in a public place without permission and drawing kolams in front of houses.
Talking about the issue, Minister Mafoi Pandiyarajan also stated that the students were involved in “messy” activities in the name of protests.
The students on the other hand, denied all allegations claiming that they were baseless.
Do we not have permission to draw a Kolam?
Talking to SimpliCity, Gayatri, one of the students who were detained said "We were only a handful of people around six to seven. We raised no slogans, nor did we obstruct traffic. We did not even create a nuisance as the police state. It was the police who created nuisance in a residential area by storming in with a squad of around 30 personnel. We caused no harm to be treated in such a way,”
Gayatri even released a video on Twitter when they were arrested claiming that the police were responsible if anything happened to them.
“I do not understand what harm did our coconut shells and Kola maavu did to people. It was a simple act of protesting against the acts. We take it as our democratic responsibility to stand up against such acts. Do we not have permission to draw a Kolam? It is our cultural and religious right,” she said.
Questioning why the police were so irritated at their Kolams, she claimed that while the police refused permission for protests when they had asked, they were alleging that they did not seek permission to draw kolams.
“At a time when we are totally out of touch with democracy, it feels like the British era, as the government is illogically suppressing us when we do our responsibility,” she opined.
Madan Kumar, another protester claimed that they had drawn the Kolams only after seeking permission from the respective house owners.
“Even some of the residents came with us to draw kolams as they themselves felt the necessity to protest. Our constitution is under threat from the same people who stand against our minorities and poor. The constitution is the only thing of protection for the minorities and now it is being targeted,” said Madan.
He also questioned what a protest carried out by five people could do to a government.
Talking about the mode of protest, Madan Kumar said that they chose it as it symbolises culture and adding it was the month of Margazhi, during which people draw kolams to adorn their doorsteps.
The students were later released after an hour.