Amid drama, anti-CAA stir continues at Mumbai Central

Mumbai Central continued its fight against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Tuesday.

Mumbai Central continued its fight against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) on Tuesday.

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While the Mumbai Police took away seven women, who tried to enter the Jhula Maidan in Nagpada to raise slogans ahead of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen president Asaduddin Owaisi’s address, in the neighbouring lane on Belassis Road, scores of women, a majority from the Muslim community, continued their protest against the CAA and NRC sporting tricolour dupattas.

“We went there to record Owaisi’s speech, which was bound to be filled with hatred. The police took us away from the spot. If he is objecting to the NRC, he needn’t involve a community,” said Deepa Verma, a homemaker from Goregaon, who was one of the seven women.

According to official figures, around 4,500 people had gathered for Owaisi’s event. The anti-CAA protesters lit up the ground with flashlights from their phones and recited the preamble.

“The government cannot suppress us, which is why women from each city in the country have created a Shaheen Bagh,” said Owaisi.

The Belassis Road lane bore the look of a community gathering, with some stepping out midway to pick up their children from school, while others taking a short break for prayers. Two Indian flags could be spotted from afar, guiding people towards the venue of the protest.

The women are determined to get their demands fulfilled. “We are not causing inconvenience to anyone because we are sitting on an under-construction road. Does the government understand the inconvenience caused to us because of their decision? Imagine our plight. We have to manage our household work, take care of our families, fight with our husbands and still be here for the protest. How does the Prime Minister call us sisters and do nothing for us,” said Asma Khan, housewife, who has been sitting at the ground for the past two days.

A similar event was held at Govandi, where Fahad Ahmad, general secretary of students union at Tata Institute of Social Sciences and ex-IPS officer Abdur Rahman, who resigned in protest against the CAA, addressed 4,000 people.