Women and members of the queer community protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, at Shivaji Park on Friday. The protesters gathered at Shivaji Park after the organisers were denied permission for a protest at Chaityabhoomi. Shivaji Park police station officers were not available for comments.
“The reason behind Friday’s protest is that two Indian educators — Savitribai Phule and Fatima Sheikh — were born this week,” said Chayanika Shah, one of the organisers. The protestors expressed their concerns about CAA and the trans bill. “[CAA and trans bill] Both would make it difficult for us to live in the country. What the Trans Bill tries to promote is the patriarchal concept of family. But most of us left our families. In that case, where will we get documents to prove our identities?” said Vicky Shinde of Shiv Shakti Foundation, an NGO.