Kolkata’s Shaheen Bagh to continue their protest against CAA after SC refrains from staying CAA
Kolkata: Aap Ladenge Na? Kiya Aap Apni Ladayi Jaari Rakhenge Jab Tak Citizenship Sanshodhan Kanoon Wapas Nahi Hota (Will you fight, right? You will continue your fight till Citizenship Amendment Act did not take back). Kya Aap Jaanti Hain Ke Kab Tak Hai Humari Ladayi? Chaar Haftey Nahi, Chaar Saal Tak – Jab Tak BJP Ki Sarkar Hai.. The speaker while raising these questions got replies in yes from a huge number of protesters (mostly women), have been sitting in at Park Circus Maidan since January 7.
Even when over hundreds of women kept sitting on the maidan floor chanting slogans, a huge number of general public chanting the national anthem, holding placards and national flags kept entering the Park Circus Maidan premise, even after 9 pm.
The enthusiasm ensuing from the crowd even after the Supreme Court of India, not to put a stay on CAA, clearly indicated that the judgment had not deterred the spirit of the protesters at Park Circus, where a large number of women are sitting-in against Narendra Modi-led BJP government’s CAA, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register (NPR) acts.
Supreme Court while hearing 144 petitions filed against CAA, NRC and NPR have given four-week time to the center to gives its reply to the petitions. However, the Apex Court refrained from putting a stay on the controversial act.
“We were eagerly waiting for January 22 but the SC decision of not putting a stay on CAA has disappointed us. However, this decision will not make much of a difference as we will continue with our fight to reclaim our rights,” reacted Azmat Jamil, a kidney-patient, who has played a key role in starting the sit-in at Park Circus with around 60 women on January 7.
Azmat who has undergone a kidney transplant further said, “Now you can see there are hundreds of women and men participating in this protest. Even today the enthusiasm remains the same as it was on the first day.”
Standing a few metres away from Azmat, was Md Ashraf Ali, with his bicycle adorned with anti-NRC/CAA/NPR slogans. He even wears a specially designed – NO CAA slogan around his neck, which glows at night. Speaking to eNewsroom, he said, “I have been coming here since they began the sit-in demonstration on January 7 and I shall keep coming back every day till CAA is revoked.”
In the past 15 days, like Shaheen Bagh of Delhi, several well-known leaders and social activists reached Park Circus to address the protesting ladies. On Tuesday, activist Medha Patkar addressed the protesters while on Saturday former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram were present at the maidan. Earlier, Activist Yogendra Yadav too addressed the gathering.
Meanwhile, Joint Forum Against NRC, an umbrella body of civil societies in Bengal who have been protesting against the controversial law immediately after the final list of Assam NRC was issued, has started a week-long dharna in front of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) office after the Supreme Court decision to not put a stay on controversial CAA.
