NEW DELHI: As protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) continued in southeast Delhi’s Jamia Nagar, a street-play on Sunday compared the violence in the area two weeks back with the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
‘Jamiawala Bagh - Students under siege’, presented by Jamia Hamdard Alumni Association outside Jamia Millia Islamia, saw university alumni and residents of nearby areas in the audience who gathered in large numbers and raised slogans against the Centre.
Apart from demanding the rollback of the CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), the demonstrations called for the release of Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Azad and action against police in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh for ‘attacking’ protesters.
“He (Azad) symbolises the united Hindus and Muslims in the fight against the CAA. This fight is not for the Muslims, the new law can go against anyone in the future,” said Inayat, 30.
A Delhi University student, Afreen Arshad complained about the invalidity of passports as a document to prove one’s citizenship. “Only an Indian can get an Indian passport but that won’t be considered as a proof of citizenship. Where is the logic?” she questioned.
The protesters were joined by Congress leader Kiran Walia, Rajya Sabha MP Javed Ali Khan and fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani.Atia, a student of JMI, said that the protests won’t fizzle out.
“We will protest till the Supreme Court hearing on January 22,” she said.
Commending the protesters, she said: “It is amazing that these protests are not led by any organisation or a political party. As individuals, students and residents gather to raise their voice,” she added.
Meanwhile, a group of people staged a protest outside Shaheen Bagh police station.
The residents of Jamia Nagar and Shaheen Bagh raised slogans against the central government. The group, which called for “Jail Bharo Andolan”, later went inside the police station to get arrested in a peaceful manner. The police detained them and later released them after noting down their names.