With a resolve to return once situation improves, the Muslim women staging protest against the controversial citizenship act and NPR at Clock Tower Hussainabad in Lucknow called off their protest in view of the corona virus scare.
“We are calling off protest today, but will return once the situation improves. For a bigger cause to protect lives, we are sacrificing our cause,” Iram, one of the protesters told this reporter on telephone.
Muslim clerics and members of different organisations had appealed to the protesters to call off their protest in view of the spread of coronavirus. The appeal came on Sunday when the entire country observed a day long Janata Curfew.
“We are suspending our protest. This will continue once the situation normalises,” Iram said.
The protesters have left behind their dupattas and quilts as a mark of protest.
Early on Monday morning the women protesters gave a letter to the Lucknow commissioner of Police (CP). The letter says that due to the larger cause to protect lives of people from Coronavirus threat, they are suspending the protest for the time being.
“We will return once the restrictions imposed by the government in view of coronavirus are lifted,” the letter says.
The Yogi government has announced lockdown in 16 districts of Uttar Pradesh including Lucknow and Allahabad where people are staging protest against CAA, NPR and NCR.
In the letter, they also asked the police to safeguard their things at the place.
Last week police had made an abortive attempt to get the area vacated in view of the Coronavirus threat. Many women were injured in the scuffle.
The protest has been going on since January 17.