Women’s groups visit homes to garner support for anti-CAA, NRC protest
Lucknow Even as the protest against Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) led by women was on at the Clock Tower in Old City area, a group of All India Democratic Women Association (AIDWA) members and others started a door-to-door campaign on Tuesday to garner support in favour of the agitation and inform people about the ‘ill-effects’ of CAA and NRC.
These groups visited several areas in the city and distributed pamphlets among people regarding why they were protesting against these laws, and appealed to them to join their stir. “We want to reach out to common people in the city and tell them, why these laws are against our constitution,” said Madhu Garg, office-bearer of AIDWA.
AIDWA members also extended support to the peaceful protest at Clock Tower. Some of the women, who were sitting in protest, also reached out to people in their areas and sought support for their protest.
Samira Khan, a social activist who has been a regular at the Clock Tower protest, said: “Apart from sitting in the protest, we are trying to spread awareness about the ills of CAA and NRC. I talk to people, especially women, about these laws to clear their myths.”
The exercise, these women claimed, had proved effective in intensifying the protest. “This protest started with a dozen brave women, but now over a thousand women stay here even at night. This shows that people understand the ills of CAA, NRC and want the government to withdraw it,” claimed Sadia Begum, 45, holding a Tricolour at the protest site.
The protest by women that started on January 17 has gained momentum. Police personnel even tried to prevent women from reaching the protest site, lodged FIRs and took away their blankets and mats, said protestors. However, the protest continued. A similar protest is going on in Ujariaon area of Gomti Nagar, where around 100 women were participating in a sit-in protest.
Samajwadi Party worker released from jail
An officer-bearer of the Samajwadi Party’s (SP) students’ wing, Pooja Shukla, was released from jail on Tuesday after four days of imprisonment. Shukla, who has been a part of the protest at Clock Tower, was arrested by police on Friday for obstructing government officials from discharging their duties.