The indomitable spirit of the women of Delhi'sShaheen Bagh is now reverberating in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj, formerlyAllahabad, and Bihar's Gaya. Drawing inspiration from the peaceful protests thatentered day 31 today, January 15, women in these two cities are now sitting ona dharna to protest the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
In Prayagraj, close to 5,000 people, mostlywomen braving the freezing cold, have been camping out at a park for the last fourdays in a protest against the citizenship law inspired by Delhi's ShaheenBagh.
The crowd at Mansoor Ali Khan park, locatedaround 200 km from state capital Lucknow, has swelled to around 5000 people.
"Yes, we have been inspired by ShaheenBagh. If our sisters can protest there, we can do it here too," RenuVarma, a mother of three, was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
The women can be seen listening to speechesmade by student organisations from the Left and the Samajwadi Party whileothers are recording the events on their mobile phones.
"I just want to say that we will be herefor as long as required, till someone from the government speaks to us,"said Fatima, an octogenarian who has joined the protest.
Others nod in agreement and say that theprotest will be called off only after a dialogue with a governmentrepresentative.
Anjali, a student of Allahabad University,stands with a poster that says, "Ham ab bhi chup rahe to hamare liyekoi kuch bhi nahin bolega (If we keep mum, then no one will speak forus".
She isn't affiliated to any political party orstudent outfit, but said that the issue demands the attention of every citizen.
In Bihar's Gaya, protesters are beatinghostile weather conditions and have been holding a peaceful protest againstCAA, NPR and NRC in the Shanti Bagh locality since December 29.
With the statues of Mahatma Gandhi on the leftand Ambedkar on the right and the national tricolour fluttering in the middleof the entrance hoarding, the protesters intermittent?raise 'InqualabZindabad' and 'Samvidhan Zindabad' slogans.
The protest has been sponsored by 'SamvidhanBachao Morcha',?a forum especially created to register protest.
The protest has also brought into focus the oratoricalskills of otherwise veiled women. Besides slogans, popular Urdu couplets arealso recited to keep the morale of the protesters high.