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Farmers, Muslim women hit streets in Malerkotla to oppose CAA

Thousands of farmers and women of the Muslim community held a protest march under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union(BKU) (Ekta Ugrahan) in running up to a bigger

Published on: Feb 1, 2020, 21:17:02 IST
Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By , SANGRUR
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Thousands of farmers and women of the Muslim community held a protest march under the banner of Bharatiya Kisan Union(BKU) (Ekta Ugrahan) in running up to a bigger protest to be organised on February 16, against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), in Malerkotla on Saturday. The protesting women from across Punjab gathered at the grain market and took to the streets. The protest culminated at Sirhindi Gate.

Farmers and women protesting against the central government’s Citizenship Amendment Act in Malerkotla on Saturday. (HT photo)
Farmers and women protesting against the central government’s Citizenship Amendment Act in Malerkotla on Saturday. (HT photo)

The demonstrators raised slogans such as ‘Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Isayee, saaray kirtee bhai bhai”, “Bhai nal bhai laran nee dena, san santaali banan nee dena’. They carried photos of martyr Bhagat Singh and banners and slogans of communal harmony and unity.

BKU Ugrahan state leader Harinder Kaur Bindu said, “We held a women’s march against the recent laws introduced by the BJP government. We have tried to give a message that CAA is not only a concern for the Muslim community; we also stand by them in hard times. We marched across Malerkotla inviting people to join a bigger protest to be held on February 16.”

Reshma Naqvi, a protester, said, “We are getting a huge response from farmer and Sikh outfits. Our protest aims
to save the constitution. As the people of Malerkotla have been protesting for the past 23 days, it has become the Shaheen Bagh of Punjab.”

Razia joins protest against CAA

Malerkotla Congress MLA and cabinet minister Razia Sultana also joined a separate protest held by Muslim women opposing the CAA.

“All political parties have escaped but Congress is still opposing the CAA. We have strong unity and I participated in this protest being a daughter of Malerkotla,” said Razia.