Shreya Priyam Roy, 21, pursuing a master’s in history from Delhi University, hadn’t imagined that a photo of her offering a rose to a policeman at Jantar Mantar would go viral on social media and make her the face of student protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
While some of the new-found fame is welcome, she wants the focus to remain on the cause. “I am not an activist. I am just a student aspiring to be a stand-up comedian and obviously did not want to go viral this way.”
On Thursday, students from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi University, Jamia Millia Islamia and many other institutions staged a day-long protest against the amended Citizenship Act at Jantar Mantar. A photo of Ms. Roy clicked by this correspondent was shared multiple times on social media and many wondered who the protester showing exemplary courage in offering a message of peace to a policeman in riot gear was.
Moved by crackdown
What made her take part in the protest? Ms. Roy says she was moved after hearing about the police crackdown on Jamia Millia Islamia students from a friend who is a student at the university.
She decided to raise her voice against the police action, and what better way to convey a message than a rose! “I offered roses to policemen because be it JNU, Jamia, DU, AMU or Assam, they have beaten up students mercilessly everywhere. I wanted them to know that students are not violent, we are opposing government policies in a peaceful way,” she says over the phone.
Ms. Roy says she wasn’t a part of any group as she went to Jantar Mantar alone and on the way, she purchased roses to give to policemen in case they beat her up for joining the protest.
On the National Population Register-National Register of Citizens issue, she says: “It is like being questioned in your home. You will have to prove that you are an Indian, no matter how Indian you are. It violates our Constitution and the secular ethos of our country. It will make life tough for everyone.”
‘Regret voting for NDA’
Ms. Roy, who hails from Patna, Bihar, says she regrets voting for BJP’s ally Janata Dal (United) in the Lok Sabha election. “By voting for the JD(U), I indirectly voted for the BJP. This government’s policies are dividing the country on the lines of caste and religion.”
“The CAA, according to the BJP, will protect those communities which are being persecuted on the basis of their religion in neighbouring countries. Why it does not include Rohingya Muslims or Sri Lankan Tamils and others? ” she signs off, raising questions the ruling dispensation has offered laboured explanations for.
