Hundreds of people gathered at Jama Masjid on Saturday to register their protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the National Population Register (NPR) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
A candlelight march was also organised by the Not In My Name campaign, from Lal Kuan to Jama Masjid.
“When Mahatma Gandhi kept his last fast in this city, between January 13 and January 18, 1948, there was hatred being spread everywhere. It was similar to the kind of hatred we are seeing today. He broke his fast only after the signing of the Delhi declaration where two of the signatories were the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha.It was because of this fast that Mahatma Gandhi was killed a few days later and that hatred is still affecting us to this day,” said Rahul Roy, co-organiser of the campaign.
“ Hindustan hum sabka hain (India belongs to each one of us),” said Mr. Roy amid cheers from the crowd. “The Constitution is the only document which has tied the nation together,” he added.
‘Our kids are not safe’
Fareeda Begum, a resident of Matia Mahal who had come to the protest, said: “We have been coming here for the last one month. Why are Narendra Modi and Amit Shah doing this to us? Our kids are not safe and are not able to study. We all saw what happened at Jamia Millia Islamia... our parents do not even know where their [birth, residence] documents are. What do we do?”
Rihana, a housewife, said: “We will continue the demonstrations as long as we live. If the Prime Minister and the Home Minister are adamant about not revoking the new law, then we want to tell them that we are equally adamant. We will not move till CAA is revoked.”
Another resident of the area, 65-year-old Fasloor Rahman, said: “My parents were not educated and I have lived here my entire life. So what happens to me if I cannot provide documents? Do I have to go to a detention centre? Amid children being sexually exploited to massive unemployment in the country, the government brings in this new law.”
