Published 13:25 IST, February 23rd 2020
Shaheen Bagh mediator terms protests 'peaceful', files affidavit in SC against roadblocks
Wajahat Habibullah who has been assisting the SC-appointed Shaheen Bagh interlocutors, on Sunday, has filed an affidavit in SC stating police blocked roads
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In a massive twist, Former Chief Information Officer Wajahat Habibullah who has been assisting the SC-appointed Shaheen Bagh interlocutors with mediation, on Sunday, has filed an affidavit stating that the protests against the CAA-NRC-NPR were peaceful. Moreover, he has mentioned that the police (UP and Delhi) have blocked five points around Shaheen Bagh. The matter is scheduled to be heard by a two-judge bench.
Who is Wajahat Habibullah?
The apex court which had appointed senior advocates Sadhana Ramachandran and Sanjay Hegde as interlocutors to talk to the Shaheen Bagh protestors had stated that the interlocutors could take the assistance of Habibullah, if necessary. Habibullah is the former Chief Information Commissioner and also served chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities. Habibullah, who has served as Divisional Commissioner of eight districts of the Kashmir Division, has been a vocal critic of the revocation of Article 370.
Shaheen Bagh road 'partially' reopened
On Saturday, the Uttar Pradesh police opened one side of the Kalindi-Kunj road, offering relief to Delhi commuters. Visuals show that barricades are still present at the site while allowing vehicular traffic. Previously, Uttar Pradesh police temporarily reopened the Noida-Faridabad road after 69 days of shut down due to the ongoing Shaheen Bagh protests. While all roads close to the area have been closed by the UP Police due to the continued protests, Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch has predominantly been in focus due to the large-scale gathering.
Shaheen Bagh mediation
Five days of the mediation between Supreme Court-appointed interlocutors Sadhana Ramachandran and Sanjay Hegde to persuade them on shifting the protest site have not resulted in any breakthrough yet. But, a delegation of Shaheen Bagh women protestors who met Ramachandran on Saturday, set seven conditions ranging for the demand of protection if the road is reopened to no NPR in Delhi to revocation of cases against student protestors. The apex court has also asked the Centre to look into alternative protest sites like Ramlila Maidan, Janta Mantar, Lal Quila as such and fixed the next hearing on Monday.
13:25 IST, February 23rd 2020