Some Say They Will Protest From Balconies Against NRC, NPR, CAA During Janta Curfew

As government advises citizens to stay home to prevent coronavirus spread, people ask what would happen to those who lost homes during Delhi riots

PTI

Updated on: 21 March 2020 1:52 pm

On Sunday, when people will thank health care providers and emergency responders, many in the national capital will clap, ring bells, and raise slogans from their homes demanding the government to rescind its decision to update the NPR in view of the new coronavirus pandemic.

Civil society group United Against Hate has urged people to protest against the National Register of Citizens, National Population Register and amended citizenship law at 5pm on Sunday from their balconies, windows and gates.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to remain inside their homes under a self-imposed curfew on Sunday and thank health care providers and emergency responders who are on the frontline combating the pandemic by clapping and ringing bells.

"First we will thank our sisters and brothers who are at ground zero taking care of the infected, supplying essentials...and then we will hold anti-NRC, anti-CAA placards in our balconies and windows and demand the government to roll back its decision to start the NPR exercise from April 1," Nadeem Khan from United Against Hate said.

Khan said the government's priority should be countering the virus threat and "we are all in this together".

He said while the prime minister has urged people to remain inside their homes from 7 am to 9 pm on Sunday, "we urge him to rehabilitate people who have lost their homes in the riots in northeast Delhi and are putting up in relief camps".

Irkan Chaudhary, who will also be a part of the protest, complained that around 1,200 people who lost their homes in the riots have been living in unhygienic conditions at a shelter in Mustafabad.

"The prime minister has asked people to remain inside their homes. What about those whose houses have been burnt and looted? They have no option but to live in cramped, unhygienic relief camps where social distancing goes for a toss and the risk of infection is high," he said.

Parwez Alam, a social worker, said the entire world is battling a health emergency and the government should focus on it first. "I welcome the prime minister's initiative and will follow the 'Janta Curfew'. But we will also protest against NPR and CAA by beating utensils," he said.