Shaheen Bagh Protesters Likely To Meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah At 2 PM Tomorrow, Say Sources

In a key development that may resolve the ongoing Centre vs protesters faceoff in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, a delegation of those opposing the citizenship law is likely to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday. Sources have told News Nation the delegation of the Shaheen Bagh protesters under the banner of ‘People of Shaheen Bagh’ have sought an appointment with the Home Minister. Should there be an approval form the Home minister, the meeting will take place around 2 pm on Sunday at Shah’s residence. However, the home ministry sources say that no such request has been made. The development comes after the Centre, in an outreach, asked the protesters to meet the top leadership in next three days. A Shaheen Bagh protester said that, “we are going to meet Amit Shah.” On the question of vacating the site, the protester said that all depends on how the meeting goes.

Shaheen Bagh protests have become the most recognised feature of the ongoing stir against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Several women have children have been staging protests for over two months now. The blockade due to the protests became a political issue in the recently-concluded Delhi Assembly Elections. Several BJP leaders including Parvesh Verma and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has made provocative statements against the Shaheen Bagh protests. 

On February 10 last week, the Supreme Court had also made a stern observation on Shaheen Bagh. “You cannot block public roads indefinitely, protests cannot continue like this,” the top court said in a stern observation. The apex court issued notices to the Delhi Police, NCT government in the matter. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for February 17. The Supreme Court said the people are entitled to protest but they have to do so in an area designated for agitation. However, the top court refused to give an interim order in the case.

A bench comprising Justices SK Kaul and KM Joseph issued the order that is likely to affect the future of the anti-CAA stir. Restrictions have been imposed on the stretch as also the Okhla underpass due to protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Advocate Amit Sahni, who has filed an appeal in the apex court against the January 14 order of the high court directing the police to deal with the situation keeping in mind law and order, said that due to the protests since December 15 last year traffic flow on Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch has been badly affected.