Inspired by Shaheen Bagh, women begin anti-CAA protest in Lucknow's Gomti Nagar

Inspired by the women-led agitation in New Delhi's Shaheen Bagh, women here on Tuesday started an indefinite sit-in protest at Gomti Nagar's Shaheed Turkmaan-e-Hind Mazar against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).

The protesters, mostly Muslim women clad in burqas, were seen holding placards that read "No CAA No NRC No NPR We Reject", "You can't impose 144 on our speech, freedom and truth" and "Fight for an equal India".

"We are protesting against the CAA and NPR. This is our country. They cannot ask for proof of our citizenship. We will live here. Something has happened in the country under the Modi government that women have to come out of their country. Our future is not safe. I am here for my children. We will not go from here until the CAA, NPR and NRC are withdrawn," a woman protester told ANI.

The stir also took inspiration from another protest against CAA, NPR and NRC spearheaded by women at Lucknow's Ghanta Ghar.

"We are protesting peacefully. This is our right. We are around 150 women and will continue our protest until CAA, NPR and NRC are withdrawn," a protester said.

The protest in Shaheen Bagh has gained nationwide attention as women have been braving Delhi's cold winter for over a month now against the contentious law enacted in December last year.