SC interlocutors re-visit Shaheen Bagh, but protesters remain firm

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SC interlocutors re-visit Shaheen Bagh, but protesters remain firm

This movement is not only for Shaheen Bagh but for the whole country, protesters said

Friday February 21, 2020 11:46 AM, ummid.com with inputs from IANS

[We are saying this since the beginning that open the road that the police have blocked, the protesters said. (Photo: Twitter/@ians_india)]

New Delhi: The Supreme Court-appointed interlocutors on Thursday again reached Shaheen Bagh to interact with the protesters but without ending the deadlock. They might visit Shaheen Bagh again on Friday.

"The Supreme Court has extended a hand because this road is closed. Shaheen Bagh is intact and will remain so. We just want to find out a solution, hence, we want you to gather at any wide area on the road and then we will discuss the things. By doing this you will remain to be in Shaheen Bagh," said senior lawyer Sadhna Ramachandran, who along with senior lawyer Sanjay Hegde reached at Shaheen Bagh to meet protesters.

Ramachandran's attempt to mellow down the anger of protesters however went in vain as everyone started shouting that we won't shift. Thereafter, Hedge took the reigns of parleys and said: "The Supreme Court is saying that rights of protesters should remain untouched but at any other place".

But again the protesting women denied to accept the offer and started putting their issues.

"We are on the streets and sitting here for two months but no one came to us. This movement is not only for Shaheen Bagh but for the whole country. If the Shaheen Bagh shifts, it will weaken the movement across the nation," a woman said.

Replying to this, Hegde said: "You are worried that if you people shift from here then no one will come to talk to you. But I ensure you that till we are there no one can stop your hearing in the Supreme Court".

But the protesters collectively reiterated that if the government revokes the Act, we will end our protest.

"This government has forced us to sit on the road. We are thankful to you that you came here. Now, you ask the government to roll back this Act," a protester said.

Thereafter, Ramachandran said that we understand your concerns. But you should understand that the matter of the CAA and NRC is in the Supreme Court. "Now, it's up to the SC what decision it takes", she said.

Putting their final offer, Ramachandran said: "We will talk to 10-15 women on Friday. Talks can not be carry forwarded from an open stage. They (10-15 women) should come in the front. You chose the venue and make groups of 10-10 people so that we can talk. Otherwise, we won't come on Friday".

Angered over the response, a protester told IANS: "They are not here to hold any dialogue. They just want to open the road. They are not concerned about our problems. They are telling us to talk in groups. What will we talk? 10 women will go and only one will speak".

If they want to open the road then they should have done it earlier. We are saying this since the beginning that open the road that the police have blocked, she further said.

Finally, Ramachandran said: "If we do not reach any conclusion then the matter will be forwarded to the Supreme Court and it will do the rest. Also, if it happens, the government will do what it wants, we won't be able to do anything".

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