NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court appointed interlocutors Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran sans former Chief Election Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah – the 3rd interlocutor visited Shaheen Bagh on Wednesday initiated talks with the protesters after the apex court suggested that the agitation should be held in an alternative site.
Interacting with the interlocutors, protesters said that if the government is ready to revoke the Citizenship Amendment Act, then we are ready to end out protest.
A woman protester identified as Zainab got emotional saying:
“They use the ‘Goli Maro’ language. Our Home Minister says that press the button (EVM’s button) to deliver current to Shaheen Bagh. The Prime Minister says that we could be identified with our cloths. Are we not that worthy that the government should talks to us? We have example of Assam where a person gave 37 years of his life to the Army and his name was excluded from the list.”
The mediators were impressed by the determination and zeal of the women protesting at Shaheen Bagh since last 65 days.
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“We are protesting on a very small area of the road because our very existence in this country is threatened. The traffic is blocked by the police, not by us”, they said.
“However, it is strange that everybody is concerned about the road blockade, but no one is ready to listen to us”, they said.
“They are trying to defame us by saying that we take Rs 500 everyday to sit here. They talk about women empowerment. Beti Padhao beti Bachao, aur agar beti awaaz uthai toh beti ko pitwao, Kya yeh hai inka kanoon,” she said.
“Is this not happening for the elections and increase the votes? Is Amit Shah not playing with us? Earlier, he used to say that I am ready to meet but we did not get time to meet”.
On the question of opening the road, another woman said: “People are facing a traffic jam only for two hours but if we open the road and quit the protest then our whole future will be put on stake. Our next generation would spend their whole life proving themselves Indian.”
After holding a long conversation, the panel said that we are inspired of you. If your kind of “daughters” are there then how India will be in danger. After listening you, now we are returning, we have time till Sunday.