Incidents of stone-pelting were reported in northeast Delhi’s Maujpur on Sunday which is near to the Jaffarabad, where a protest has been staged since last night against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
As per the reports, two groups of protesters — one in favour of CAA, while others in against — clashed at the site. A local BJP leader holds a rally in favour of the Act that triggered the clash.
The police, which were gathered in a large number at the spot used tear gas to bring the mob under control. Although the situation was brought under control, the protesters did not disperse altogether.
Keeping in mind the security of the passengers, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation closed the entry and exit gates of the Maujpur-Babarpur Metro Station.
The Jaffrabad metro station was already closed early in the morning.
Security Update
Entry & exit gates of Maujpur-Babarpur are closed.
— Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (@OfficialDMRC) February 23, 2020
Last night, around 200 women began a sit-in near the Jaffrabad Metro Station demanding the withdrawal of CAA. The protest was very identical to the Shaheen Bagh protest which started on the afternoon of December 14 with a group of women staging a sit-in against the Act.
The protesting women were raising the slogans of “Azaadi (freedom)” amid heavy police deployment.
The protest last night swelled up as the women were joined-in by other protesters as well. The metro station of Jaffrabad was closed this morning due to the protest.
The road where the protest began connects Seelampur with Maujpur and Yamuna Vihar.
The protesters at Jaffrabad are also supporting Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad’s call for a ‘Bharat Bandh’ on February 23 against a Supreme Court ruling that states were not bound to provide reservation in promotion and appointments in public employment and also reservation for appointments and promotions to public posts is “not a fundamental right.”
One of the women protesters told PTI that they will not leave the site till the time CAA is not revoked. Social activist Faheem Baig was quoted as saying by PTI that there is resentment within the people against the way the government is handling the issue.