The burqa-clad women protesters in the national capital’s Shaheen Bagh, protesting against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act(CAA), National Register of Citizens(NRC) and National Population Register(NPR), are still protesting amidst the coronavirus pandemic which has rocked the world, claiming the lives of 10,405 people and infecting 252,773 globally.
The protests which began in mid-December 2019, will continue on Sunday, March 22 also. It is the day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to follow ‘Janta curfew’ – to remain inside their houses under a self-imposed curfew.
“On Sunday, we will sit under small tents. Only two women will sit under each tent and maintain a distance of more than a metre between them,” a protester who did not wish to be named said.
Another protester, Rizvana, said the women had been taking every precaution and they were covered in burqa all the time.
“Washing hands regularly is part of our lifestyle. We offer namaz five times a day and we wash our hands every time,” she said.
Ritu Kushik, another protester, said women aged above 70 and children aged less than 10 were not being allowed at the protest site.
“The women are not sitting on the mattresses any more. Cots have been placed and there’s a minimum distance of three metres between every two cots. Not more than two women can sit on a cot,” he said.
Taseer Ahmad, one of the key organisers, said sanitisers and masks had been arranged in enough numbers, and the protest site was being disinfected at regular intervals.
Earlier on Monday, the Delhi government said gatherings with more than 50 people. The size of gatherings has since been reduce to 20 people.
“It also applies to Shaheen Bagh,” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said.
Meanwhile, 206 people have been tested positive for coronavirus in India.