MUMBAI: Inspired by the protesters of Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, women in large numbers took to streets in Mumbai on Monday, protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Population Register (NPR) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Holding placards and raising slogans like “We all are one” and “Azadi”, the women, mostly from Muslim-dominated Madanpura, Jhoola Maidan, Apripada, and Mumbai Central areas, are protesting at the Morland road outside Arabia Hotel in Nagpada area of South Mumbai since late Sunday night.
The women protesters are holding placards with slogans hailing Hindu-Muslim unity and brotherhood along with slogans like “They tried to divide us”, “Respect My Existence or Expect My Resistance” written on them.
The protests grew larger as the day advanced despite police trying to convince the protestors to cooperate and withdraw the protests.
“The government is not following the law. Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad was detained while protesting against the act. Women in Uttar Pradesh are not being allowed to protest. This is completely unconstitutional,” said Fatima Khan, a law student leading the protests.
“We are just following the call to have a Shaheen Bagh in each and every city of the country. We won’t budge until the act is withdrawn,” she added.
“We are reaching out to more people through social media and asking women to join the protest,” she said.
Rosina Aslam Ansari, who works as a house help, said she hasn’t gone for work so that she could take part in the protest.
“What is happening here will affect us as we do not have documents in place. We are left with no option but to join the protest. The person I work for gave me a leave to be a part of the protest, saying she would join me too,” said Ansari.
Senior Nagpada police station inspector Shalini Sharma said she had requested the protesters to take prior permission from the police, but the women refused to budge and continued to occupy the road.
The protestors initially occupied a half-constructed road which was closed for traffic. We have now barricaded it from all sides, she added.
The protestors are conducting the protests in a rotational way. Most of the protestors are housewives and are continuing the protests without compromising on their domestic duties, Khan said while reiterating their resolve to continue the protests.