Waquar Hasan | Clarion India
NEW DELHI – As the Delhi Police on Tuesday morning virtually took over the protest site of Shaheen Bagh in the shadow of the present lock-down in the capital, Twitter users lauded the women protesters there for putting up a powerful resistance to save the Constitution and democracy.
Women have been protesting against the discriminatory citizenship law, the National Register of Citizens and National Population Register at Shaheen Bagh here for the past 100 days, since 15 December, braving adverse situations. The model of Shaheen Bagh sit-in inspired people especially women elsewhere too and it has been replicated across the country in recent weeks.
However, the outbreak of the Coronvirus has forced the protesters to temporarily suspend their sit-in. The Delhi Police, which has been lurking in the corner to see an end to the protest, found this time appropriate to act. And they have done it on Tuesday morning in the absence of the protesters.
The women protesters have received support from around the globe for bravely resisting the power of the government. After the camp was cleared, Twitter went all out to salute the women fighting for the Constitution and the idea of India for months.
Eminent women activist Kavita Krishnan wrote the poem in the name of the women protesters, describing them in the words freedom fighter Rani Laxmi Bai was described.
“The women who fought bravely were the grandmothers from the Shaheen Bagh. The women who fought bravely were the paternal grandmothers from the Shaheen Bagh. The women who fought bravely were the girls from Jamia.” This was how Krishnan described the women protesters in her tweet.
खूब लड़ी जनानी वह तो शाहीन बाग की नानियां हैं!
खूब लड़ी जनानी वह तो शाहीन बाग की दादियाँ हैं!
खूब लड़ी जनानी वह तो जामिया की लड़कियां हैं!
आप घास हैं. इन कायरों के (जो आपके रहते आपको न हटा पाए, वे भी जो आपका वोट लेकर ताना-शाह की पुलिस को शुक्रिया कर रहे हैं) किए धरे पर आप उग आओगे pic.twitter.com/6XjNdwVQh1— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) March 24, 2020
Krishnan also slammed Aam Aadmi Party leader Saurabh Bhardwaj for lauding the Delhi Police action to clear the protest site.
Shame on you. This cowardly Govt used a PANDEMIC to ask police to do the clear away a protest site that the brave women had ALREADY cleared. In what way is that ESSENTIAL work in a pandemic?! Salaams to the brave women of Shaheen Bagh. https://t.co/zhmBKufl1j
— Kavita Krishnan (@kavita_krishnan) March 24, 2020
The police also has cleared the protest site at Jamia Millia Islamia where students and women staged their sit-in for months.
Lauding the women’s protest, well-known Radio Jockey Sayema said Shaheen Bagh was not just a protest site. It was a spirit and a movement which will live on.
Before 15th Dec, none knew of this place. In less than a month, you were the talking point of the WORLD! Today #ShaheenBagh isn’t just a name!It’s a spirit, a strength, a movement, a shining example of democracy,Constitution of India. Thanks for showing the way. U will live on❤️
— Sayema (@_sayema) March 24, 2020
Prominent journalist Rana Ayyub said that once the Corona problem got over, this movement of women will be revived.
Once this is all over and we are back to our normal lives, it will be our moral responsibility to rebuild Shaheen Bagh and stand by the brave women protestors. The women of Shaheen Bagh have taught us to fight the good fight. My salam to each one of you.
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) March 24, 2020
Well-known journalist Arfa Khanum said Shaheen Bagh was the largest resistance movement led by women to save the Constitution and democracy in Independent India.
100 days of Shaheen Bagh!
The largest resistance movement of independent India led by women to save the constitution& democracy.
History will forever remember you for your heroism
Movements don’t end.
They are just deferred to another day.
Shaheen Bagh ki Behno ko mere 100 Salam!— Arfa Khanum Sherwani (@khanumarfa) March 24, 2020