Masks, hand sanitisers distributed among anti-CAA protesters at Park Circus

Kolkata: In order to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus, use of face masks and hand sanitisers has become mandatory for the women protesting against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Park Circus Maidan.

"On Tuesday (March 17, 2020) evening, we distributed masks and offered sanitisers to the protesters. We have instructed them to bring their own mask and sanitiser. We are abiding by the guidelines of the state government in connection with the Coronavirus outbreak," said Debu Shaw, volunteer of the ongoing 'Swadhinata Andolan 2.0' at Park Circus Maidan.

The sit-in agitation by 60 Muslim women at Park Circus Maidan, christened as 'Kolkata's Shaheen Bagh', entered the 72nd day on Wednesday.

The 24-hour vigil against the Centre's "discriminatory" policies, which started two days after the JNU violence, has gained momentum. Women from different parts of the city have been joining the protest.

"Protesters should take adequate preventive measures to thwart the danger of Coronavirus. This danger will be fought medically but the lurking danger of Modi-Shah to divide people in the name of religion, caste and language is far more dangerous and need a united democratic movement to resist," said 45-year-old homemaker Asmat Jamil, organiser of the movement at Park Circus Maidan, who left for Mumbai for breast cancer treatment on Tuesday, handing over the responsibility of continuing the protest to Farhat Islam.