NEW DELHI: The colourful tent that once was a symbol of “resistance” against the Citizenship Amendment Act was dismantled on Tuesday, 100 days after it was set up. As police personnel cleared the
Shaheen Bagh protest site
due to Covid-19 outbreak, the women said it was a “pause” not a defeat.
“Shaheen Bagh has become a thought process. It isn’t a neighbourhood anymore. The protest will continue. We will first fight novel coronavirus and then come back to defeat hateful and divisive politics,” said Hena Ahmad.
On December 15, shaken by images of violence against Jamia Millia Islamia students, a group of women had taken over the streets, determined to raise their voices for the country’s children and to register their protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Act, NRC and NPR. They sat through the harshest Delhi winters, didn’t budge when it rained and remained undaunted despite the risk to their safety when a man opened fire. Over the days, the canopy under which hundreds of women sat, changed colours, speeches from the makeshift stage became more measured and public address systems became more sophisticated. But the aim of the protest remained same — “to fight for the Constitution”.
Ahmad said that police officers removed everything within an hour. “They gave a clarion call in the beginning that they were following orders to impose curfew conditions. But there were just five people sitting under the tent then. We were following the rules,” she said.
Although the eviction led to disappointment, it was soon replaced by new-found stamina by the first-time protesters, who resolved to continue the protest on social media till the health crisis got over. “We will win the fight against novel coronavirus and against CAA, NPR, NRC too,” said Ritu Kaushik, at the forefront of the resistance.
In the weeks since the gravity of Covid-19’s spread was realised, protesters at Shaheeen Bagh had discussed whether to call it off or continue on low-key — following all directives. “Shaheen Bagh’s stature was such that if the protest was held in abeyance, perhaps, just perhaps, police would not have dared touch the tent,” said Shaheen Kauser, a mature voice whose firm reasoning had brought many disparate views together over the last three months.
Many said that no matter whatever precautions are taken, “all the blame will be heaped on Shaheen Bagh”. In the last few days, just five women at a time were present at the tent, wearing masks and carrying sanitisers.
“What the
Shaheen Bagh protest
has become in 100 days was beyond imagination when we started. Similarly, the threat of Covid-19 is beyond imagination. Our constitutional fight will continue, but we always held that in such a healthcare crisis, we stand with all and heed all directives. We have been doing that. I am very sad today. There was no need to remove the tent. The women were following all precautions,” said Kauser.
“Police took advantage of the protesters paying heed to the fight against coronavirus and forced eviction,” said one of the protesters, while discussing on social media plans to ramp up the fight online till the lockdown is over.
Kaushik said, “Delhi Police came to the spot at a time when the case of the road was still in Supreme Court. They removed not just the tent, but the library, posters, everything. It was evident that the government was not only fighting Covid-19 but also the
Shaheen Bagh
protest.”
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