Shaheen Bagh-type protest in Ludhiana From Feb 12

Addressing a press conference at the city’s Jama Masjid here, Shahi Imam Punjab Maulana Habib-ur Rehman Sani Ludhianvi said a decision to launch a Delhi-like protest was taken at a meeting with members of various religious and social organisations in the city

A Shaheen Bagh of Delhi seems to be in the making here also. Activists protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) have decided to hold demonstration at the Jalandhar Bypass Chowk daily from Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference at the city’s Jama Masjid here, Shahi Imam Punjab Maulana Habib-ur Rehman Sani Ludhianvi said a decision to launch a Delhi-like protest was taken at a meeting with members of various religious and social organisations in the city.

He said that the Jalandhar bypass had been chosen because there was a statue of Dr BR Ambedkar, the principal architect of the Constitution of India.

He said a peaceful agitation was already being organised to protest the Constitution and the self-respect of every Indian.

On the other hand, sources added it was decided to hold a protest on the lines of Shaheen Bagh as the ongoing protest was losing steam.

Ludhianvi said before holding a demonstration, prayers by members of all religions would be held. He said all people of the city were invited to take part in this demonstration.

He said, “Let us all unite and raise our voice to thwart the conspiracy being hatched by the Union government against the Constitution.”

Shahi Imam said the demonstration would be held daily from 10 am to 10 pm in which leaders of various organisations will address the protesters.

He said the CAA, NRC and NPR were against the spirit of the Constitution a conspiracy by the BJP-led central government to divide the country.

He said it was necessary to start a daily demonstration here like that at the Shaheen Bagh in Delhi, because the first fatwa of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Dalit unity was issued for the complete independence of India against the British in the freedom struggle of the country from Ludhiana. It was given by Shah Abdul Qadir Ludhianvi, one of his ancestors.

He said committees had been constituted to run this daily demonstration smoothly. The committees included a managing committee, a synergy committee, a security committee and a press committee, he added.