Epicentre of anti-CAA stir turned into fortress

| | NEW DELHI
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Epicentre of anti-CAA stir turned into fortress

Wednesday, 05 February 2020 | Sapna Singh | NEW DELHI

A sense of fear is palpable in Jamia-Shaheen Bagh of Okhla constituency as the area resembles a fortified zone with the deployment of anti-riot force starting from Jamia Millia Islamia entry gate to Shaheen Bagh traffic light.

Ignorant about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizen (NRC), schoolchildren as well as women have joined anti-CAA protest as they feel that they would be transferred into detention centres. Interestingly, Jamia students could be seen tutoring impressionable minds to prepare them for rational argument. However, 'hate speeches' at the protest site have generated a 'sense of refuge' among children in their own country.

It was day 54 of the ongoing anti- CAA protest at Shaheen Bagh, the area in the vicinity of Jamia. The entire area has been sensitised with heavy police deployment. What surprises the visitors, is the presence of small children who can be seen chanting azadi slogans as Delhi elections are not less than a struggle for freedom for them.

Jamia walls are plastered with azadi movement slogans irrespective of the fact Okhla residents will soon cast their votes for their rights in the heart of world's largest democratic nation.

The epicentre of protest is littered with posters, banner and school going minor children have a fear of losing their parents.  Rabia, a 9-year-old student said Modi and Hindus will soon rule here. "We have to go soon from here, we have been told that soon we will be shifted in a big room with attached bathroom, this CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC) will separate us from our parents," she said with a  trembling voice.

"We do not know what may happen in the next second, I address these girls as 'Babu'(lovely daughter), every where people are  talking about NRC, CAA but no one is aware what the act is about.., even I am not fully aware," said Jagat, a rickshaw puller.

At political front, Okhla people are with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for water, electricity and health facilities in their areas but in a larger frame, people residing in these areas have taken CAA as a fight of their existence in India.

Usmana , a student in Jamia said, "Anti-CAA protest is beyond politics. Our protest is a peaceful. It is time to tell the masses, anti- CAA is not a fight of Muslims or any particular community. Why Tibetan, a few tribal communities are out of this act. We will not allow politicians to use anti-CAA protest to gain political benefits… it is unfortunate in our country, our friends Rambhakt Gopal and Kapil Gurjar are being used by group of people sitting in system, this is dangerous to radicalised youth, our hopes are strong although" he said.

"We know people commuting between Delhi-Noida and vice-versa facing trouble and their complaints are legitimate... we are requesting authorities to open the other side, so that commuters can travel in their directions, but 50 days for women protesters was not easy," student added further.

Surprisingly, 500 children  are participate in ongoing anti- CAA protest in the age bracket of 5-20. "These children belong to home maker mothers while they keep their presence in the protest. Children are bound to join their mothers because they have a fear in mind that if they get locked in homes, their mothers will be shifted into detention centers," said another student.

"We teach these students - What good is in azadi if it is written on your 'Shroud', the young minds are talented and prayed for thousands of animals burned in 'Bushfire in Australia', these children are being involved in 2000 art works.. at the early age of their life, they are reading word to word of preamble and CAA Gazette," said a student in Jamia.

Few meters away from the university campus, at protest site where more than 500 sit-in claimed their equal right to stay in India however circulated video of Home Minister Amit Shah's parliamentary speech about to bring NRC has brought a fear in middle aged women.

"The biryani narrative is false, come here and sit with us, this is a fight for Gandhi, he is in you, he is in us ….the man, who was against the violence and we cannot let him killed again, the peaceful protest is humanizing us day by day" said a protester.

Standing determined with anti- CAA protesters, these students engaging people to avoid communal activity which may add fuel to fire however anti- CAA stage is being used to deliver hate speeches by the war mongers.

"Makan eh Shukar hai… Allah k hathon main, agar hota Modi k hath main to kya hota (We are blessed as our fate is in God's hand if it would have in Modi's hand what would happened),"  a man shouted .

Relating selves with people who became pray in communal riots, another man recited a couplet; 'Ajjeb dard ka rishta hai, kahin kisi ka Makan jalta hai to apna sa lagta hai".

Meanwhile, showing solidarity with anti-CAA protesters, a farmer association turned up at Shaheen Bagh. Reciting Gurbani, holding green flags, these farmers said, "W are the idea of India".

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