Reluctant Shias cross the fence to join anti-CAA agitation

 As anti-CAA protests continue to simmer, the Shia community joined the agitation here on Friday with scores of them marching towards the Prime Minister's residence.


The march started from Jor Bagh Karbala, which is just a km away from 7, Lok Kalyan Marg. Other Shia groups joined too at Jamia.

They walked all the way from Okhla Vihar to the protest site. However, the protesters were stopped mid way.

The call to march towards the Prime Minister's residence was given by Anjuman Haideri, the organisation whose chief patron is Kalbe Jawwad.

Anjuman secretary Bahadur Abbas Naqvi told IANS: "CAA, NPR, NRC are a conspiracy against the SC, ST, OBC and all the minorities of the country and not just Muslims. It has been exposed by Chandrashekhar Azad and Mehmood Pracha. Therefore, all the Ambedkarites will defeat this conspiracy."

In Jamia Nagar, Shia groups walked to the protest site from their mosque in Okhla Vihar and offered their support to the movement.

Shia cleric Zeeshan Haider said: "We are one and we stand against any oppression as this is our ideology. Whether the oppressed is of any religion, the government should understand the protest is not against anybody but the policy and the law enacted by them. They should consider these protesters as their children and open a dialogue with them."

The Shias have put forth a list of demands in front of the government which includes unconditional withdrawal of CAA, NRC, NPR and an apology from the Prime Minister. They have also demanded the release of all protesters including Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar and withdrawal of all the cases "slapped against the innocents".

There is also a demand for the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

They said cases should be filed against the policemen who allegedly indulged in violence against the protesters and asked for compensation to all the victims.

The BJP has been trying to reach out to the community through its Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Mohsin Raza, who is a Minister in the Uttar Pradesh government.

The BJP was initially successful with religious leaders convincing the community that the CAA is not anti-Muslim. However, after facing the wrath of the community, the clerics too took a sharp U-turn and supported the agitation.IANS