Women protesters at Shaheen Bagh say they would be open to attack if barricaded road parallel to their protest site is opened
Delhi cops admitted that they had barricaded the parallel road to provide security to the protesters. Pic/PTI
Shaheen Bagh protesters have told the Supreme Court-appointed interlocutors on Friday that if the road parallel to the protest site was opened, the apex court should pass an order ensuring their security, referring to the multiple firing incidents. The interlocutors — senior advocates Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran — began the third day of their discussion with the Shaheen Bagh protesters on Friday evening.
The Delhi police admitted that the protesters had not blocked the parallel road, but they had barricaded it to provide security to the protest site. "When several adjoining roads are open, why are they insisting we move from this road? This is not the only road connecting Delhi to Noida," a woman protester told the interlocutors.
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Hegde said, "Today is Shivratri. If somebody uses a cuss word, it becomes a blessing today. It is your right to speak. Speak up. Say everything you want to say. Let us take a joint decision for all the affected parties here."
On Friday the women also told the interlocutors there won’t be talks with them in groups. Pic/PTI
'Protection to protest site'
The protesters told the interlocutors that the police barricaded the road parallel road to their tent, besides two other roads that connect to the Shaheen Bagh-Kalindi Kunj road.
A police officer told the interlocutors the parallel road as well as certain other roads were kept barricaded to give protection to the protest site. A woman protester told the mediators, "The government thinks women are uneducated. All of us are educated women who know what we are fighting for. The students from Jamia Millia Islamia University, who were teaching us more on CAA and NRC, are being beaten up. If the police could not stop the men who fired at us, how are they claiming that they will protect us if the parallel road is opened?"
Another woman protester said, "We want in writing that if there is a single incident of attack or firing, the police officials, from the SHO to the police commissioner, should be shunted out. Home Minister Amit Shah has said the NRC is not coming soon, so ask him to issue a circular, saying they are not bringing the NRC now. We want the Supreme Court to pass an order on our security if the road adjoining the protest site is opened." The interlocutors checked all the roads connecting Delhi to Noida late on Thursday, along with some protesters and police officials.
'Answerable to the SC'
Ramachandran said, "When we checked on the roads, we noticed that you (protesters) were right. Many roads are open, which were blocked by the police. I am very upset to say that the Noida-Faridabad road, which was opened on Friday, was again closed by the police. Whoever has done this is now answerable to the Supreme Court."
'Woman who raised pro-Pak slogans, linked to Maoists'
A young woman who raised pro-Pakistan slogans at an anti-CAA rally in Bengaluru on Thursday has been booked for sedition and remanded in custody, police said on Friday. Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said she had links with Maoists in the past. Amulya Leona had raised "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan thrice after organisers of the event "Save Constitution" invited her to address the gathering in the presence of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi, on Thursday. She was arrested on charges of sedition and produced before a magistrate court which remanded her in 14 days judicial custody. Her father also called for action against her in accordance with law, saying she made an "unforgivable mistake."
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