New Delhi: Amid the New year celebrations, protests continue against the discriminatory CAA in various parts of the nation including Shaheen Bagh, Jamia Millia Islamia and at India Gate where the protestors took a pledge to “defend the Constitution”.
Scores of students, civil society members carrying the flag, banners gathered outside Jamia Millia Islamia University, the location has become the epicentre of the protests in Delhi since the Police crackdown on students, TOI reports.
Joining the fight to defend the Constitution, Bollywood actor Swara Bhasker and her co-star from ‘Raanjhanaa’ Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub too attended a public meeting outside the university and lauded protesters’ efforts in continuing the agitation.
“We have woken up late but now we have woken up. You have woken up the entire country. We are here to thank you,” Bhasker said, terming the CAA a “targeted” law.
Raanjhanaa Actors Swara Bhaskar, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub join the protest
Actor Ayyub raised slogans ‘Hum EK Hain’ and ‘Inquilab Zindabad’, Swara recited lyricist Varun Grover’s poem against the citizenship law which has the punchline ‘Hum kaagaz nahi dikhayenge (We won’t show documents)’.
The students of Jamia welcomed the New year with cries of ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ and ‘Azaadi’.
Swara Bhasker also visited the protest site Shaheen Bagh after addressing the gathering at Jamia Millia Islamia. Joining the agitation, Dadis too attended the protests.
“Hum kaagaz nahi dikhayenge” and “tanashahi nahin chalegi” slogan continues across New Delhi
The New Year was celebrated by “reading the preamble”.
Protestors, students took pledge
The Protesters, including students from various universities, also took a pledge that they will “not show any document”.
Joining the agitation, several activists and artists gathered at the Constitution Club of India under the aegis of Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (SAHMAT).
The resistance poems, songs echoed throughout the day while many took part in plays to express their solidarity with people protesting the amended citizenship law.
PinjraTod, a women’s collective of students and alumni of colleges across Delhi has alleged that a protest being carried out by women in Jaffrabad was halted by the police and RAF personnel, who even demanded their address proof.