Bilal Bagh protesters plan to send an application to Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa with signatures of over a thousand protesters.
By Astha Oriel
February 25, 2020
Bengaluru: Last night Bilal Bagh protestors observed two-minute silence and held a candle light vigil in solidarity with the victims of New Delhi clash violence. The vigil was organised by student protestors at Bilal Bagh.
Five people including a cop were reportedly killed and 50 others injured after a clash between pro-CAA and anti-CAA protesters in northeast Delhi on February 24. The protest turned violent as houses, shops, vehicles and a petrol pump were torched and stones were hurled by the mob.
The all women led protest supported by students and transgenders at Bilal Bagh has entered into its 18th day of protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Transgender Bill.
One of the organisers of the Bilal Bagh Protest, Mohammed Azhar, told The Softcopy that they were deeply disturbed by what happened in Delhi yesterday. “We, collectively, condemn the violence and mob brutality,” he said.
The contentious Citizenship Amendment Act was passed by the parliament in December 2019. Activists against the CAA believe that it aims to provide citizenship to persecuted religious minorities of Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan except Muslims and is therefore, unconstitutional. However, people who support the act, argue otherwise.
“We were traumatised after receiving the news about the Delhi violence. It felt like a war zone has been created, with only specific community as target. We wanted to show solidarity towards the victims who were killed and were fighting for their constitutional rights. We pray for the recovery of the injured and for the peace of our country,” said Adrian, one of the student protestors at Bilal Bagh.
He added that the protestors at Bilal Bagh are planning to send an application to Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa with signatures of over a thousand protesters. “If the government is deaf to hear our voices, we will try every other means to convey our message,” he said.
