Many people have been protesting at Shaheen Bagh in Delhi for nearly two months now. (File)
Protesters at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh have written a letter to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Election Commission, Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Human Rights Commission saying that the threat to their protest is ''real''.
The letter was written by those protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) since more than 40 days, including 'Women of Shaheen Bagh', 'Forum of Citizen for Equal Rights', 'Citizen for Justice and Peace' and others.
"The threat to the protest at Shaheen Bagh is real. Threats have been openly made by men in powerful positions leading to at least three violent actions on the ground. Delhi Police are lawfully bound to train its eyes, ears and lathis (sticks) on those who seek to violently disrupt this peaceful protest. We urge appropriate action to ensure the safety of peaceful protesters," the letter read.
The letter said that peaceful protests at Shaheen Bagh are vulnerable from hate attacks, violent attacks and mob, and that police strength should be geared towards violators of the law, mob and violent attackers and not peaceful protesters.
"If any group wishes to protest in favour of the government it is free to do so in any other part of Delhi, why Shaheen Bagh?" the letter questioned.
They said since December 15, 2019, Shaheen Bagh has held its ground peacefully. "Women are simply telling the brute might of the state that they stand against the perpetrated attack on Jamia Millia Islamia. Instead of entering into any sort of dialogue or conversation with the protesters, the political bigwigs and authorities have tried to demonise this protest."
The letter said, "This brazen tendency has been particularly visible with the election campaign for upcoming Delhi elections. This is also likely to intensify in the coming weeks."
At Shaheen Bagh, protesters have set up a tent on the road and dug in for nearly two months in protest against the CAA.
Earlier, a petition was filed in the Supreme Court seeking appropriate directions to the police to open the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch contending that the road closure is causing huge inconvenience to people