Shaheen Bagh abuzz on International Women's Day, women from across country support protest

Delhi's Shaheen Bagh, the epicentre of protest against the new citizenship law, was abuzz with women from several parts of the country joining the agitation on International Women's Day.

The protesters at Shaheen Bagh were joined by women from Lucknow, where a similar protest is underway for over 50 days, nearby Ghaziabad, riot-hit Jaffrabad in Delhi and social workers on Sunday.

Several women under the banner of Pragatisheel Mahila Sangathan visited Shaheen Bagh.

The women, staging the protest for nearly three months, said the support is encouraging and they are firm that the government take back the Citizenship Amendment Act and drop the idea of the National Register of Citizens.

With chants of 'Inquilab Zindabad' and 'Hindustan Zindabad', the protestors appeared upbeat.

The male volunteers said the peaceful protest at Shaheen Bagh has gotten bigger despite the recent violence in Delhi.

"We are sitting here for last 85 days and we firmly believe that government will have to take back CAA and NRC. We are getting support from across the country and we are happy that several persons, including women, have come here to join us," said Fatima, who is a local resident of Shaheen Bagh.

Prof Chaman Lal, the honorary advisor to Delhi's Bhagat Singh Archives and Resource Centre, saluted the "brave women" on International Women's Day and said they are an inspiration for the whole world.

"Today, on International Women's Day, I salute the brave women of Shaheen Bagh. Women of Shaheen Bagh have inspired the whole world and they have set an example for the world," he said in his address to the gathering.

Shilpi Choudhary, who came from Lucknow, said inspired by the protest at Shaheen Bagh, a similar agitation is going on in Lucknow for over 50 days in which women and children are taking the lead.

"I have come here from Lucknow to support you on International Women's Day. You have started a revolution and the government will have to take back CAA and NRC. I have come here to tell you that we all support you in this," she said.