Mumbai Bagh protesters withdraw stir amid coronavirus scare

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, March 23

Protesters against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens at Nagpada—known popularly as the Mumbai Bagh—have withdrawn their sit-in in the wake of the coronavirus  pandemic.

The protesters said in a statement released late Sunday night that they were pausing their protests. Earlier, representatives of the Maharashtra government held talks with community leaders.

”All the protestors at Mumbai Bagh are withdrawing due to coronavirus epidemic and Section 144 in Maharashtra state. We are equally willing to stop the spreading of coronavirus by avoiding mass gathering at protest site,” Rubaid Ali Bhojani, a spokesperson for the protesters said in a statement released online.

“We may have a difference with the government on CAA, NRC and NPR but we are with the government to fight against COVID-19,” the statement added.

The women resolve to resume the protests after the coronavirus outbreak is contained.

The protests in Mumbai, which were inspired by Shaheen Bagh, started on January 26 with several women taking turns to sit on the Mumbai street.