Citizens for Change Meet at Marina Beach

The Sunday morning lethargy did not deter the 10,000 plus crowd to assemble at Marina Beach, to protest against terrorism and express their solidarity. How can it deter them in any way, when their hearts were painfully wrenched by the heinous events that took place in Mumbai? Pained by these incidents, they came out to show to the world that they care; that their fellow citizen’s pain and misery is but their own. This was the first step to towards their attempt to build a new society devoid of any differences, which can live in peace without any fear.
 
About 10,000 people, from almost every section of the society, assembled near Mahatma Gandhi statue at Marina. They were “the citizens for change”. The event started with registration, where everyone present entered their names and contact numbers in the forms provided, which helped the officials to keep track of the exact number of participants. They also signed a memorandum following this. The feelings and ideas of some manifested as placards – some declared nothing can divide India; some expressed that this terrorist attack has only united India; some expressed sympathy and empathy; and others speaking about India’s secularism.

Following this everyone paid homage to those who lost their lives in the terrorist attacks. After lauding the brave effort of military personnel who fought the terrorists, the crowd pledged their commitment to bring about a positive change in the society and to live a life upholding one’s fundamental rights.

One thought deeply affected everyone and triggered a strong reaction: When the MC requested the assembled to hold the national flag high throughout the 30-minute program, he said that resulting pain in the arm will never match the pain that “Kodi Kaatha” Kumaran underwent – the martyrdom to keep the flag up and high.

The hands that were raised high up in the air in response to this request, holding the tricolour, never budged downward – not once and not even an inch – throughout the program.

The National Anthem ended the day’s proceedings. Later, an announcement from the MC about this event registering maximum attendance for any such protest in Chennai, elicited a huge cheer from the crowd.

But the most moving scene was perhaps towards the end of the program, when everyone, many of them absolute strangers to each other, showed reluctance to disperse and carry on with their regular “happy Sunday lives”, and stayed on holding hands with tears in eyes. When they bid adieu to each other, they realised that the "change" they wanted has already begun!

The event was organised by the NGO Citizens for Change.