1. Over 1,200 Protest CAA in Chennai
Although Chennai Police initially refused to grant permission to a few NGOs and political outfits, people defied the orders and voiced dissent. More than 1,200 people congregated at Valluvar Kottam in Chennai on Thursday, 19 December.
Many students and people from different walks of life came together, holding placards, and staged a demonstration against Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). “Fascist! Unconstitutional! Undemocratic! Divisive!” were some of the slogans that were raised.
(Read more here)
2. E-Rickshaws to Replace Tricycles for Gas Delivery
Soon, consumers may get their domestic cylinders faster and distribution may become less laborious for delivery men. A gas agency of Indian Oil Corporation at Korattur introduced an electric rickshaw for delivering gas cylinders last week.
The initiative came in the backdrop of the direction from Petroleum ministry which decided to replace tricycles with environment-friendly e-rickshaws.
“Now, delivery men can drive the battery-operated e-vehicle straight from the agency to houses,” said PG Krishnamoorthy, Director of Ammani Associates and Services India Private Limited, an electric vehicle manufacturer in Chennai and the gas agency owner. The company is planning to manufacture more based on demand.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
3. Security Alert in TN Following 'Intrusion' of Terror Suspects
A high-level of security alert has been issued across Tamil Nadu following the alleged intrusion of at least four terror suspects. Heightened bandobast arrangements are in place at vital installations, places of worship, major railway stations, bus stands, malls and other areas of public gathering.
The SUV-borne suspects on an “unknown mission” were sighted near Salem three days ago, sources in the intelligence agencies said. The alert, issued on 17 December, comes amid escalated tension across Tamil Nadu with students, political parties and others staging protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens.
(Source: The Hindu)
4. Website to Give Wings to Homeless
The Greater Chennai Corporation is currently developing a website for its ‘Wing for Homeless Shelters’, to predominantly help the inmates of shelter homes find jobs. Apart from this, it will display information on the types of shelters (male, female, children, transgender) and the link of their location, success stories of reunions with family and awareness videos.
“We have a lot of unemployed inmates who have completed their graduation and some, even post-graduation. Most of them finished studies in their respective hometowns and came to Chennai in search of a job. When they could not find one, they eventually took to the roads, from where we picked them and shifted them to shelter homes. So, we wanted to address the issue from where it began – finding a job,” said one of the senior officials at the Wing for Homeless Shelters.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
5. Kamal Haasan to Join DMK-Led Rally Against CAA
The Kamal Haasan-led Makkal Needhi Maiam will participate in a DMK-led rally against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on 23 December. DMK organisation secretary RS Bharathi on Thursday met Haasan and invited him to join the rally.
On Wednesday, Haasan had expressed his desire to join the Opposition-led protest, if invited. “He thanked us for the invitation and agreed to participate in the event,” Bharathi said.
Meanwhile, DMK president MK Stalin called upon farmers’ associations, teachers’ and government employees’ unions and film associations to take part in the planned rally.
(Source: The Hindu)
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