With Delhi state assembly elections less than a week away, ‘protestors’ at Shaheen Bagh have urged Delhi citizens to come forward and join them in their dharna. Numerous parties and individuals, most of them their well-wishers, have been impressing upon the Shaheen Bagh protesters the need to abandon their protests. Under such circumstances, the ‘official’ Twitter handle of the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act has called upon the citizens of Delhi to join them in their protests against giving the persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh citizenship rights in India.
The statement on Saturday said, “In the last few days of this non-violent, democratic dharna, we have been threatened, endangered, and witnessed hate speech against us by senior BJP leaders and other fringe groups, such as Hindu Sena.” The statement said that in light of the two instances of shooting in Delhi, that did not result in any fatalities and causes only one injury, they are requesting the citizens of Delhi to join them in their protest on the 2nd of February.
The statement said further, “We are increasingly fearful of the consequences of the politicization of these peaceful protests and maintain that we are a non partisan gathering.” These are the same protests where slogans of ‘Jinnah Wali Azadi’ were raised. The mastermind of these protests, Sharjeel Imam, wished to cut off North East India from the rest of the country. The protesters said that this was an “earnest appeal to the conscience of all citizens” of the country.
Earlier in the day, the second instance of firing in Delhi was reported from Shaheen Bagh. The suspect has been identified as one Kapil, a resident of East Delhi. The first instance occurred on the 30th of January when a juvenile opened fire near the Jamia Milia University, injuring one student.
