A spark lit by a small group of people in Chennai on Sunday has turned into a roaring flame of dissent across Tamil Nadu, against CAA and NRC. Kolam or rangoli, in Tamil Nadu, is now a powerful tool of expression turning into a symbol of protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register for Citizens (NRC).
On Sunday eight residents of Besant Nagar in Chennai were arrested by the police for drawing kolam or rangoli in front of their houses as a mark of protest against CAA and NRC. The residents, members of a platform called Citizens against CAA group went to different streets, took permission from each house owner and drew kolams in front of their homes. A day after the protests, kolam in Tamil Nadu has turned into a strong symbol of protest against CAA and NRC. On Monday, kolams were drawn in front of the houses of DMK seniors including its President MK Stalin at Chitranjan avenue in Chennai. Similarly, kolams protesting against CAA and NRC were drawn in front of the homes of DMK MP from Thoothukudi constituency in Tamil Nadu Kanimozhi and others in Chennai.
The kolams have messages that read, 'vendam CAA' meaning no need for CAA. The DMK’s women's wing will soon hold a massive kolam protest against the CAA. Meanwhile, the state unit of the BJP has also started a kolam protest, in favour of CAA and NRC.
