Two months on, Ranchi’s ‘Shaheen Bagh’ stir suspended till April 5

The two-month long Ranchi’s Shaheen Bagh-like protest at Kadru area was suspended on Saturday till April 5 in view of the spreading coronavirus scare across the country. The women protesters took the decision following a meeting with three Jharkhand ministers on Friday evening.

Parliamentary affairs minister Alamgir Alam, finance minister Ramehswar Oraon and agriculture minister Badal Patralekh had called a delegation of protesting women on Friday evening at Alam’s office.

Saheen Parween, a member of the delegation, said, “We have decided to suspend the ongoing dharna at Kadru till April 5 on request of the ministers.”

“The ministers said Corona virus is spreading in India. In coming days, it might be declared as national or state disaster. They urged us to postpone the movement in interest of country as well as state so that people do not gather in large number in one place and coronavirus could be prevented from growing,” she said.

Parween said they placed their demand before the Jharkhand ministers to pass a resolution in the ongoing assembly session against the National Population Register (NPR). “The ministers assured that the draft of the resolution is ready and it will be passed soon,” Parween said.

She further said, “We will hold a meeting on April 5 to decide future course of action of our agitation. The protest will continue till it goes on in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh.”

The women-led indefinite sit-in against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and NPR had started at Ranchi’s Kadru area, near Haj House, from January 20. The sit-in is inspired by the protest spearheaded by women at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, a Muslim neighbourhood near Jamia Millia Islamia, which has been continuing since December 15, 2019.

In another development, all church related gatherings and liturgical services have been suspended by the Ranchi Catholic Archdiocese in view of the Corona virus threat.

Auxiliary bishop of Ranchi Theodore Mascarenhas said that Holy Mass would continue to be celebrated in churches but the faithful were exempted from Sunday obligation during this period.

He said that the temporary measures would come into effect from March 22 and would be in force till March 31.

Meanwhile, Ranchi administration on Saturday has put an embargo on visit to Pahadi Temple, city’s one of the most visited religious place, for visitors with immediate effect. Pahadi temple is located on the 250-foot-high Pahadi Hill in the heart of Ranchi and was earlier known as Phansi Tongri, a place where freedom fighters were hung by the British.

Ranchi deputy commissioner Rai Mahimapat Ray, who is also the president of Ranchi Pahadi Mandir Vikas Samiti, has issued an order in this regard.