2012 redux as protesters brave the chill again in Delhi’s winter of discontent
Agitations over the 2012 gang rape and the anti-CAA protests were led by the youth, specifically studentsAnti-CAA agitation is reminiscent of the protests against the brutal gang rape and murder of a woman in December 2012
New Delhi: The winter chill that makes Delhi the country’s coldest metro failed to dampen the nearly week-long protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, with thousands of protesters hitting the streets on Thursday, partially locking down the national capital region.
The anti-CAA agitation is reminiscent of the protests against the brutal gang rape and murder of a woman in December 2012. Both agitations were led by the youth, specifically students, who occupied the India Gate, Jantar Mantar and Red Fort areas on a cold foggy day as the mercury dipped a few notches.
“Stakes are so high that you, as future of this country, cannot sit back in your homes and hostel rooms. Unless we brave the winter now, it may be late for many of us to have a normal life. Inside Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) or outside, the protests will continue," said Lata, a research student. JNU students, who have been agitating against a fee hike for over a month, have now joined the anti-citizenship Act protests.
In 2012, students in Delhi and adjoining cities similarly braved the winter chill to protest against the brutal gang rape, bringing the issue of women’s safety to the forefront. The protests forced the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government to form a high-level committee under former chief justice J.S. Verma to recommend amendments to the criminal law for quick trial and stricter punishment for rapists and other sex offenders.
That year witnessed one of the harshest of Delhi winters, but people braved the weather united by a common cause, raising the heat on 22 December even as the police fired tear gas shells and used water cannons to disperse crowds. Seven years on, the photographs on the front pages of newspapers and on social media are still etched in the memory of Indians.
Delhi witnessed one of its coldest weeks this year while recording the lowest day temperatures in 22 years on Wednesday, but this failed to deter protesters.
“Citizenship Act and NRC (National Register of Citizens) cannot be seen separately. It’s a plan to divide and rule, and we students spotted the real intention of the government. See what has happened: It started with Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and has now spread to over 30 universities. When students are getting beaten up, civil society is being gagged, we cannot sit at home fearing dipping temperatures," said Praveen, a student from Delhi University.
“The government has closed Metro stations, shut down mobile and internet services, for what? Is it a crime to protest in a free country against a divisive law? Our fellow students of Jamia protested the other day without wearing shirts to give a message: By beating up you cannot stop students from coming out in the winter," he added.
The amended citizenship Act passed by Parliament last week aims to provide citizenship to “any person belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian community from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan, who entered India on or before 31 December 2014".
Protesters and critics say the citizenship law violates the Constitution and is discriminatory against Muslims—more so, when it is seen in conjunction with the proposed nationwide NRC.
The Union government, however, put out awareness campaigns in newspapers on the “myth versus reality" of the CAA following a court directive on Wednesday.
“Do not get misled by the wrong information over CAA. There is a lot of misinformation over the CAA and rumours are being spread, however, they are not true in any respect," the advertisement said, adding that the law does not affect Muslims, or target people of any religion in India.
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