Chennai: With a section of students of the Madras University continuing their protest for the third day against the amendment to the Citizenship Amendment Act, Makkal Needhi Maiam chief and Tamil actor Kamal Haasan visited the university premises to express solidarity with the students.
Haasan was, however, not allowed to enter the main campus and spoke to the agitating students from behind the main gate of the university, opposite the Marina Beach.
The actor said he was at the varsity to express solidarity with the students, who are on the protest for the third day on Wednesday.
When asked about Haasan not being allowed into the premises, a police official said they had no role to play in allowing or disallowing anyone.
"The gate keys are with varsity officials. Check with them," a senior police official told PTI. Varsity officials were unavailable for a comment.
Meanwhile, the defiant students said they will continue their agitation.
Students of colleges including the New College here and another in Tiruchirappalli also held protests on their respective campuses.
Besides, a section of students held a protest on the campus of the State-run Bharathiyar varsity in Coimbatore and they were removed from the premises by police since an event was scheduled to be held, police said.
A posse of police personnel were posted in the periphery of all the institutions where protests were held and the gates were closed to ensure that protesters do not go over to the roads.
Also, police deployment continued to be on at the Marina, the main campus of the Madras varsity.
Police personnel, who had entered the campus on Tuesday, said they had done so for the "safety of the students."
Two students, who were picked up by the police were sent back late last night, one of the coordinators and a PG political science student, K Ragu Prasath told PTI.
The two students were picked up for questioning over allegedly inciting students of affiliated colleges to join the stir at the varsity's Marina campus.
The varsity, according to the protesting students, has declared holiday till January 2.
Students, who sat near the main entrance of the sprawling campus, which is just opposite the famous Marina beach, raised slogans against the Centre, the BJP, the RSS and its student body, the ABVP.
The protesting students are seeking withdrawal of the CAA.
They are also protesting the police action on students of Jamia Milia University in New Delhi and opposing the nation-wide NRC.
The Madras University is one of the oldest in the country and students of the varsity are among others in Tamil Nadu who have been protesting against the CAA.
(With inputs from PTI.)