Women protesters gather at Welcome as night dawns

NEW DELHI: As night dawns 45-year-old Nasreen stands outside the gates of her small house, calling her neighbours to join the protest against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) near Welcome metro station.

“This is the time when we usually have dinner and prepare to sleep, but now look what this government has forced us to do. In such cold winter nights, we are protesting because we know this bill is unconstitutional,” Nasreen tells the correspondent.

While walking towards the protesting site, she calls out to her neighbours. “Are you coming for the protest,” she asks them. They all nod in affirmation. At about 8.45 pm women around the area, which includes Kaushik Puri, collect near Welcome's metro station red light, where a bunch of police officials stand guard. As soon as they see the crowd approaching the protesting area, the officials put barricades in front of them. “We only get permission to protest for two hours, hence we come here for a limited period of time,” she said, as more people start joining in.

The women then start lighting candles and raise slogans against CAA and NRC. At the protest is 60-year-old Nafeeza who with her candle approaches the correspondent. “I will tell you one thing, never in my 60 years of existence have I seen such a situation, where I felt so unsafe,” she said. Holding the candle high, she said that when thousands of people are on the road, why isn't the government paying any heed.

“This is not about Hindumuslim, we are all together in this. We have been living here peacefully, so why now are they trying to create this division,” said Nasreen.

The protest is also joined by young girls who raise slogans along with the elders. Banners are raised as more people start raising slogans. The barricades separate protesters from the main road. “These protests are just a request to the government to listen to our voices,” said Nafeeza. The residents also tell the correspondent to not manipulate any fact. “Please print the truth,” she requests.

ANTI-CAA protests have gripped the national Capital, and have intensified, especially after firing at Jamia Millia Islamia and Shaheen Bagh.

“We are inspired by our sisters at Shaheen Bagh,” gushes Nasreen. Even as political leaders throw wrath at each other over the protests, people are peacefully carrying on the demonstration.