Shaheen Bagh blinks

| | NEW DELHI
  • 0

Shaheen Bagh blinks

Saturday, 22 February 2020 | Staff Reporter | NEW DELHI

Shaheen Bagh blinks

Protesters agree to open parallel road if security is guaranteed

The talks between the Supreme Court-appointed interlocutors and the Shaheen Bagh protesters yielded partial results on Friday, the third day of the negotiation, as the protesters agreed to open the parallel road if the SC can guarantee their security at the protest site.

The interlocutors — senior advocates Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran —  resumed talks with the protesters on the third day on Friday evening.

A woman protester said, “We want in writing that if there is a single incident of attack or firing, the police officials, from the SHO to the police commissioner, should be shunted out. Home Minister Amit Shah has said the NRC is not coming soon, so ask him to issue a circular, saying they are not bringing the NRC now. We want the SC to pass an order on our security if the road adjoining the protest site is opened.”

Hegde said, “Today is Shivratri. If somebody uses a cuss word, it becomes a blessing today. It is your right to speak. Speak up. Say everything you want to say. Let us take a joint decision for all the affected parties here.”

The protesters told the interlocutors that the police had first barricaded the road parallel to the sit-in site, and then they occupied the parallel road erecting “India Gate” replica and a huge map of India.

The Delhi Police admitted that initially they had blocked the road opposite to the sit-in road for safety and security of the protesters. “We barricaded the parallel road to ensure security to the protest site. If the road is opened to commuters, we will ensure double security to the protesters,” the police official said.

As the interlocutors called the police to the spot to discuss the matter with the protesters, a woman stood up and told the mediators, “The Government thinks women are uneducated. All of us are educated women who know what we are fighting for. The students from Jamia Millia Islamia, who were teaching us more on CAA and NRC, are being beaten up. If the police could not stop the men who fired at us, how are they claiming that they will protect us if the parallel road is opened?”

Another woman protester said, “When several adjoining roads are open, why are they insisting us to move from this road? This is not the only road connecting Delhi to Noida.”

Ramachandran said, “When we checked on the roads, we noticed that you (protesters) were right. Many roads are open, which were blocked by the police. I am very upset to say that the Noida-Faridabad road, which was opened on Friday, was again closed by the police. Whoever has done this is now answerable to the SC.”

 The restrictions are a “conscious” decision of the Noida Police and are continuing as it is, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida Traffic) Rajesh S told PTI. He added that the day, the Delhi Police decides to lift the restrictions, “We will also do it on our side”.

Sunday Edition

CAA PASSPORT TO FREEDOM

24 March 2024 | Kumar Chellappan | Agenda

CHENNAI EXPRESS IN GURUGRAM

24 March 2024 | Pawan Soni | Agenda

The Way of Bengal

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

The Pizza Philosopher

24 March 2024 | Shobori Ganguli | Agenda

Astroturf | Lord Shiva calls for all-inclusiveness

24 March 2024 | Bharat Bhushan Padmadeo | Agenda

Interconnected narrative l Forest conservation l Agriculture l Food security

24 March 2024 | BKP Sinha/ Arvind K jha | Agenda