Sign in

Govt ready to talk to Shaheen Bagh protesters, says minister. Adds a clause

The Delhi Police too have been requesting the protesters to clear the road, a 2.5km-long connection between Delhi and Noida, at Shaheen Bagh.

Updated on: Sep 22, 2020, 18:42:13 IST
Hindustan Times, New Delhi | By
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad in a tweet message on Saturday said the Narendra Modi government is ready to talk to citizenship law protesters at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh if a request is made in a “structured” manner.

Protesters at Shaheen Bagh during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act and National Register of Citizens in New Delhi. (PTI)
Protesters at Shaheen Bagh during a demonstration against the amended Citizenship Act and National Register of Citizens in New Delhi. (PTI)

“The government is ready to talk to protesters of Shaheen Bagh but then it should be in a structured form and the Narendra Modi government is ready to communicate with them and clear all their doubts they have against CAA,” said the minister in the tweet. He also posted a video clip of himself answering a question on a TV channel.

The Shaheen Bagh protest has also found its echo in the election rallies by the BJP. The BJP has alleged that the protesters have been getting support from the Congress and the AAP.

ALSO WATCH | BJP’s ‘tukde’ charge at Shaheen Bagh vs Yashwant Sinha’s ‘drama’ jibe on CAA

BJP MP Pravesh Verma triggered a controversy on Tuesday, alleging that protesters gathered at Shaheen Bagh — where a sit-in against the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act has continued for over a month — will “enter homes..rape..and kill”, and indicated that this can only be prevented if the BJP is elected to power in the state. The MP has since been taken off the BJP’s star campaigners’ list in the Delhi elections by the Election Commission.

Despite a section of organisers pulling out on January 2, the protests at Shaheen Bagh have continued. From a replica of India Gate with names of those who died during anti-CAA protests, to a model detention centre to raise awareness, to graffiti and posters, the protesters have used unique methods to express their dissent.

The Delhi Police too have been requesting the protesters to clear the road, a 2.5km-long connection between Delhi and Noida, at Shaheen Bagh.

Follow India news real-time updates and the latest news covered on Hindustan Times, featuring today's critical updates on Sonam Wangchuk LIVE and more across India.