Chanting "This is our soil, this is our India" and waving the India flag, hundreds of fishermen on their boats took to the waters in Kerala to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The fishermen took out a unique 'water march' in Kozhikode's Chaliyam where hundreds of fishing boats moved in tandem.



These are the same fishermen, who both in 2018 and 2019 saved thousands of lives during the floods.

They became the unlikely heroes in 2018 when hundreds of fishermen from the coastal regions who had no experience in flood relief volunteered to join the rescue and relief mission.

And, in their hundreds they came, towing along their simple fishing boats to some of the worst flood-hit areas where sophisticated boats NDRF and the Navy couldn't reach.

They were also instrumental in supplying food to thousands who were stranded in the waters without anything to eat for days. Some 3000 fishermen on with 669 boats had participated in the rescue mission during the floods.

After the floodwaters receded they went back to their daily life even refusing to accept the cash award announced by the Kerala government for their selfless service.

Even in 2019, the fishermen had come to the rescue of their fellow men and women in trouble during the floods.

The fishermen are the latest to join the ongoing protests in Kerala against the CCA and NRC. The state has seen some of the biggest protests against CAA so far when last week more than two lakhs people converged in Kochi's Marine Drive to register their protests against the contentions legislation.

Several others have come up with creative ways of their own to make their voices heard.

Many people have used their save the date photoshoots and wedding invites to spread the message. A church in Kerala had made a bold statement on Christmas when the church choir sang the Christmas carol wearing hijabs and skull caps in solidarity with the Muslim community. The song was sung in the tune of Mappilappattu, the traditional Muslim folk song.

Even the Kerala government has been leading in its own ways, from passing a resolution in the Assembly against CAA and making students read the preamble to the Constitution during assemblies. Kerala Chief Minister had also written to 11 other state chief ministers including Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banarjee urging them to pass similar resolutions in their respective assemblies.