LUCKNOW: Delhi's Shaheen Bagh continues to inspire women in Uttar Pradesh. While Mansoor Ali Khan Park is still reverberating with slogans against the CAA and NRC, Ghantaghar in old Lucknow has become the new hub for women protesters who have converged here to raise their voice against the amended Citizenship Act. They have been sitting on a peaceful relay protest since Friday night braving the hostile weather conditions resolutely.
Shouting slogans against the CAA and NRC, these women, along with their children, registered their protest amid the deployment of a huge police contingent comprising women cops all through Friday night. They continued their agitation on Saturday as well demanding that the Centre withdraw the CAA and NRC.
The protesters at Ghantaghar have the support of Congress leader Sadaf Jafar, who was jailed during the citizenship law protests in Lucknow last month. Zafar and retired IPS officer SR Darapuri were released from jail early this month. Zafar was also seen with the protesting women at the venue in Lucknow on
Saturday.
“We can’t accept a law which discriminates on religious lines. We have come to protest along with our children in such extreme weather because we want to make it clear to the government that now they can’t divide us on religious lines,” said Razia sitting at Ghantaghar.
Another protester Wareesha claimed that they were sitting in solidarity with their counterparts at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi. She claimed that the protesters were not allowed to make arrangements for the cold weather and the police were stopping people from reaching the venue. “We will not be demoralised by such
acts,” she said while tending to her baby in her arms.
Student leader and SP youth wing member Pooja Shukla also reached the spot and remained with the protesters throughout the night. Shukla said she had come to extend her support to the protesters as she stands in solidarity with all the women protesting against the controversial law.
Holding posters, banners and placards with slogans written on them, the number of protesters was around 50 at Ghantaghar on Saturday. “Save Constitution, Save India, No to CAA, NRC, Reject CAA, Reject NRC" were the slogans repeated by the women while fluttering the tricolour.
On getting information about the protests, newly appointed Lucknow Police Commissioner Sujit Pandey reached the venue with his subordinates. He tried to convince the women protesters to go home after handing the memorandum of their demands to him but the protesting women refused to budge.
The women also complained that in order to break their protest, the district administration had snapped the street lights in the area during the night. “We were not allowed to cover the venue but we kept sitting in the open throughout the night,” said Saleema of Chowk area.
Meanwhile, protests continued for the sixth day at Mansoor Ali Park in Roshan Bagh area of Prayagraj on Saturday.