Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh Rings in New Year Resisting CAA, NRC
“This is my 18th day at Shaheen Bagh. We hope that the next year is more inclusive,” a protester said.
For the past two weeks, Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh has emerged as the fulcrum of resistance in the movement that sparked off after the violence in Jamia Millia Islamia on 15 December.
And New Year's Eve was no different when hundreds converged at the spot with posters, music and speeches to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). Among those in attendance were Swaraj India President Yogendra Yadav and activist Harsh Mander.
When the clock hit 12 am, the protesting crowd at the south Delhi locality sang the national anthem.
“We will continue. Jab zameen nahi rahegi, kaam leke kya karenge (We will continue. If we lose our land, what will we even do with our jobs?),” Abid Sheikh, one of the organisers told The Quint.
Protests against the contentious law, which makes religion a criteria for citizenship, have been taking place across the country ever since the Act was passed in the Parliament earlier in December.
In many places, protests have turned violent, with allegations also being levelled of police brutality and excesses.
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