Shaheen Bagh-like protest breaks out in Mumbai

Hundreds of women have been sitting on a road in south Mumbai's Nagpada area since January 26 against the Citizenship Amendment Act-National Register of Citizens-National Population Register regime, apparently drawing inspiration from New Delhi's Shaheen Bagh protest.

Holding placards and raising slogans against the CAA, the NRC and the NPR, the women sat down on the Morland road outside Arabia Hotel on Sunday late night.

Most of them are residents of Muslim-dominated Madanpura, Jhoola Maidan, Apripada, and Mumbai Central areas.

They have so far not withdrawn their agitation despite senior officers of the Mumbai Police urging them to do so, an official said on Monday morning.

The women protesters can be seen holding placards with slogans like "We stand against CAA, NRC, NPR", "They tried to divide us, Respect my existence or expect my resistance" written on them.

Slogans hailing Hindu-Muslim unity and brotherhood were also raised.

Senior Nagpada police station inspector Shalini Sharma said she had requested the protesters to take a prior permission from the police, but the women refused to budge and continued to occupy the road.

In Delhi, thousands of people, including women and children, have been protesting since December 15 at Shaheen Bagh and nearby Jamia Millia Islamia against the CAA and the NRC.

Photograph: Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters