Kolkata: Hundreds of Muslim and Hindu women started an indefinite dharna at Park Circus Maidan demanding the withdrawal of National Register of Citizens (NRC), Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Population of Register (NPR). The dharna began on Tuesday morning and will be called off once the Centre withdraws the draconian Act. The women spent the night at the maidan. The women who are taking part in the demonstration informed that they do not belong to any political party. "We do not belong to any political party. It is the question of our life and death and we will carry on with the dharna till the NRC and CAA are withdrawn," said Farzana Bibi. Askan Bibi who has joined the dharna with her child said: "It is cold and my child has a fever. But I cannot leave the area as the movement is against a move to isolate the poor Hindu and Muslims." The agitating women said there are around 20,000 Muslim people in and around Park Circus who do not have any document. Their ancestors came from Bihar and Utter Pradesh and their mother tongue is Hindi or Urdu. They work in eateries, motor garages and in houses as helps. "The Centre is trying to identify the poor Hindus and Muslims and will make their lives miserable in the name of CAA and NRC. How can you expect that a chaiwallah or thelawalla or a butcher or the labourers who work at the tanneries to have documents like a birth certificate or a Voter card or passport? They belong to the poorest of the poor groups," said Nishat Mumtaz, a school teacher. She added: "We have told the male members of our families that it is our moral responsibility to resist any attempt to divide the two communities seven decades after Independence. India is a secular country and we are all Indians." It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said over and again that neither NRC nor CAA would be implemented in Bengal. The women taking part in the dharna said: "It is the movement of all people coming from all sections. It is the need of the hour that the women should come out on the streets and raise their voice against NRC and CAA. It is a peoples movement and participation of people belonging to all classes is required." It may be recalled that the Chief Minister had held a rally in Park Circus maidan in December 2019, which was attended by hundreds of people. She also took part in seven rallies so far. Of these processions, five were held in the city, one in Purulia and another at Siliguri.

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