No fear of coronavirus, say Shaheen Bagh protesters

Accusing the government of conspiring to instil fear of coronavirus among them so that they leave the protest site, the women protesting at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh against the CAA said that they will not withdraw the protest and that they can take care of themselves.

New Delhi:The women protesting at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi for the past ninety days against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) have alleged that the government is trying to instill the fear of coronavirus in them so that they leave the protest venue.

The protesting women have said they were not scared of the freezing cold or rain, so they have no fear of coronavirus now.

"We are using sanitisers, giving Dettol to women to clean their hands. The government thinks that due to the fear of coronavirus, the women will flee and leave the site. Amit Shah and Modiji, please don't worry about us, we will take care of ourselves," a woman protester said.

The women said several precautions are being taken and awareness about the symptoms of coronavirus and measures to avoid it are being spread among the protesters. They have also been requested not to bring children to the venue.

The protesters also demanded a fair investigation into northeast Delhi violence and compensation of Rs 1 crore to the victims.

"We want a fair probe into the riots in Jaffrabad, Maujpur and Shiv Vihar in northeast Delhi. Besides, there should be an inquiry about how the people came from Uttar Pradesh to the national capital during the violence," the women protesters said at a late-night press conference on Friday.

The clashes that broke out in northeast district od Delhi on February 24, claimed over 50 lives and left more than 200 people injured, besides inflicting massive damage to businesses and properties.

The women protesters said they want the CAA to be revoked and also a written assurance from the government that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) will not be implemented.

IANS report