Clear road blockade in public interest: Delhi Police urges anti-CAA protestors at Shaheen Bagh

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has urged those protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at the Shaheen Bagh to end the road blockade in the ''larger interest of public.''  Delhi Police took to Twitter to make an appeal to the anti-CAA protestors at Shaheen Bagh.

In its appeal, the Delhi Police urged them to understand the inconvenience caused by the complete highway blockade to residents of Delhi and NCR, senior citizens, emergency patients and school-going children. The appeal from the Delhi Police came as the ongoing anti-CAA protest entered in its 35th day on Friday.

It may be noted that Delhi High Court had on Friday asked the police to keep law and order situation and public interest in mind while evicting protesters at Shaheen Bagh to clear roads at the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch. The road has been closed since December 15, 2019, following the anti-against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.

"We appeal to agitators at Road No. 13 A Shaheen Bagh to understand the sufferings that the complete highway blockade is causing to residents of Delhi & NCR, Senior Citizens, emergency patients and school-going children," Delhi Police said in the tweet.

The Delhi Police further reminded them that ''the matter has also come up before the High Court.'' "We again urge protesters to cooperate and clear the road in the larger public interest," it further said.

We again urge protesters to cooperate & clear the road in larger public interest.

— Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) January 17, 2020

It may be noted that despite several appeals, the protestors at the Shaheen Bagh continue to hold protests and raise their voice against the amended law. 

The protestors include largely young and old men and women from the Muslim community, students, activists and social workers.

Amid the ongoing anti-CAA protests, reports have come on the social media claiming that the protesters were getting paid.

The protesters have also installed a giant iron cut-out of India`s map with the text stating "We the people of India reject CAA, NPR and NRC."

Meanwhile, the Sikh community has also started `Langar Seva` for the protesters and serves food twice a day.

Apart from that, people have also distributed fruits to demonstrators in a show of their support. Announcements were made at the demonstration stating that protest was not backed or funded by any political party and "please don`t give money to volunteers nor will they accept it".

The CAA grants citizenship to Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Buddhists and Christians fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and who came to India on or before December 31, 2014.