Lucknow: Members of the Sikh community in Lucknow on Thursday joined the women protesters in the city who are demonstrating against the new citizenship law and held an ardas or a prayer meeting, demanding that Muslims be included in the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Braving the cold and freezing weather, hundreds of women have been holding a peaceful protest in Lucknow’s Ghantanagar for over a week against the amended citizenship law that grants citizenship to all persecuted immigrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan Bangladesh except Muslims.
Expressing solidarity with them, several Sikh citizens reached the protest site and distributed prasad after holding an ardas.
Harjeet Singh, who was present there with his family, said that Sikhs like him want the government to “rightfully include Muslims” under CAA.
“We have no problem with anyone. Our only issue is that Muslims have been left out. If the government arranges for their inclusion under the new act, then we are with them,” he said.
“Nobody should be discriminated on the grounds of religion when it comes to granting citizenship. This country belongs to everyone,” Singh added.
Earlier on Wednesday, members of the Hindu community performed Hawan at the Ghantaghar in support of the women protesters.
A group of lawyers reached the iconic Ghantaghar for the third consecutive day on Thursday to join the protest, where they took an oath to protect the constitution and its guiding principles.
Meanwhile, an FIR was registered against several women who have been protesting at Ujariaon in Gomti Nagar area of the state capital on Thursday.
Around 125 women have been booked for violating section 144 which is imposed in the city citing Republic Day celebrations and upcoming Defence Expo to be held in the first week of February.
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