On Saturday, several media reports claimed protestors had lifted a road blockade near Shaheen Bagh in Delhi as a result of mediation talks ...
On Saturday, several media reports claimed protestors had lifted a road blockade near Shaheen Bagh in Delhi as a result of mediation talks with interlocutors appointed by the Supreme Court. These reports were misleading: it was not protestors but Delhi Police that had blocked the road by placing barricades across it. These barricades were removed by the police on Friday.
Since December 15, residents of Shaheen Bagh have occupied a stretch of GD Birla Marg, an arterial road connecting Delhi to Noida, to protest against the amended citizenship act and proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens.
The sit-in protest, mostly led by women, has inspired similar such demonstrations across the country. But it has also faced criticism for causing traffic congestion and inconveniencing residents of nearby localities as well as increasing the commuting time between Delhi and Noida.
However, an analysis by Scroll.in showed that the traffic congestion was not merely the result of the closure of GD Birla Marg – Delhi Police and Uttar Pradesh police had barricaded entry points to two roads that could have acted as alternative routes. Asked why these alternative routes had been closed, Delhi Police said it was “a security measure”. Uttar Pradesh Police claimed they had placed barricades in...
