Heavy police presence and barricading were seen in Shaheen Bagh on Sunday after a right-wing group, Hindu Sena, gave a call to clear the road where anti-CAA protesters have been staging a sit-in since December 16.
The group, however, said the “clearance call” was called off in view of the “law and order situation”, on Saturday. The Delhi police said they stepped up deployment around the protest site as a “precautionary measure”.
The police imposed Section 144 in the area due to which a peace march planned on Sunday afternoon by the protesters of Shaheen Bagh “in deep mourning for the lives lost” and to show solidarity with all those affected by the violence had to be called off.
The Shaheen Bagh march being called off was in sharp contrast to a march that was taken out through Connaught Place on Saturday under the banner of “Delhi Peace Forum” by several pro-CAA right-wing outfits. The march, which went through the heart of Delhi, also saw “provocative slogans” being raised by the participants.
The Delhi police, meanwhile, said that no permission had been granted for the march in Connaught Place.
At Shaheen Bagh, protest continued throughout the day with people talking about how to take their movement forward despite the violence in north-east Delhi. Shohaib, who has been a regular at the site, said, “The anti-CAA protest is one for all of humanity. After the violence, all those who want a secular India should stand up and support it. We need the Shaheen Bagh protest to continue so that we can educate people about the CAA and the larger Hindutva agenda of the government.” The protesters said they would continue their sit-in peacefully and appealed to people to come and stand in support.
