The nation has been witnessing massive protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), with many braving the bitter cold to step out on to their streets and voice their dissent. However, the protests have not been limited to the streets or social media.
From anti-CAA inspired wedding shoots to Christmas celebrations with hijabs, people adopted several ‘unconventional’ forms of protesting and this has also become a source of inspiration and support for the protesters on ground. Here are a few examples:
Anti-CAA protests at weddings
Often, the wedding day is the most important day of a couple's life. Therefore, when couples in India held up placards against CAA and NRC at their marriage ceremonies, the pictures immediately went viral. From holding up anti-CAA posters to inscribing slogans against the Act on traditional clothes, and even adding ‘No CAA, no NRC’ slogans to their return gifts, pictures of several newly-weds protesting at their marriage venues went viral. Pictures of couples reaching protest venues right after their wedding ceremonies also went viral.
— Sankar Das (@mallucomrade) December 22, 2019
A Kerala couple even turned their pre-wedding shoot into an anti-CAA protest. In their ‘save the date’ shoot, the couple can be seen holding up ‘NO CAA’ and ‘NO NRC’ posters.
Football ground turns into protest site
Malappuram district, located in northern Kerala, is popularly known as the hub of 7-a-side football tournaments. Recently, at an annual 7-a-side Royal Cup football tournament at a ground in Othukkungal, with more than 6000 in number to witness the match, anti-CAA protests erupted at the grounds.
During half-time, in one voice, the crowd erupted with ‘azadi’ (meaning freedom) slogans, demanding the government to withdraw the CAA and NRC. Rhythmic claps along with the slogans made the venue brim with high energy and extreme enthusiasm. This video, too, went viral.
How a 7s football venue in Kerala turned into a #CAA_NRC_Protest site. pic.twitter.com/XwMkV6e0Ln
— Kalpanthu (@KalPanthu) December 26, 2019
Anti-CAA protests reach churches
Visuals of a church choir group in Kerala singing Christmas carols wearing in Muslim attires to express their solidarity with the anti-CAA movement in the country had taken social media by storm. At the Thomas Mar Thoma Church, located in Kozhencherry in Pathanamthitta district, youngsters wore skull caps and hijabs and sang the carols in the tune of ‘Mappilapattu,’ which are traditional songs sung by the Muslim community and are famous in north Kerala. The video went viral shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark that the anti-CAA protesters can be identified by their clothes.
This is India, no one can stop the unity of our religions. Please see how these youngsters appeared in their X'mas carol service in solidarity with Indian Muslims and protest against CAA&NRC. This was part of their Christmas carol service in Marthoma Church, Kozhenchery, Kerala. pic.twitter.com/CQjHb4GULn
— Jijoy (@jijoy_matt) December 25, 2019
Similarly, in Assam, the Dilburgh Catholic Church, considered to be one of the oldest Church in the North East, had put up a banner, declaring its support for the protesters. “We unite hand-in-hand with the nation to protest against CAA in a peaceful manner. May God enlighten our leaders and fulfil our demands. We pray for the departed souls of our brothers who lost their lives during protests against CAA,” read the banner, according to a report in the Times of India.
Students refuse degrees, tear up CAA copy at convocation
As the protests intensified and many activists and demonstrators were arrested and detained by the police, Rajat Singh, a student of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi, refused to accept his Master’s degree to protest against the arrest of protesters in Varanasi, including the students of BHU. The history student declined to accept his degree at the institution’s annual convocation event.
Rajat Singh, student of BHU refused to accept his Masters degree in protest against CAA.
— JAC_BHU (@JacBHU) December 24, 2019
He said - "I can not accept my degree when 70 students are in jail".#CAA_NRCProtests #NRC_CAA_Protests@Mdzeeshanayyub @Akhil1490 @Vidyut @kabira_tweeting @_YogendraYadav @HasibaAmin pic.twitter.com/3Y5cinD2Nj
Another student from Jadavpur University in Kolkata tore up a copy of the Citizenship Act at her convocation, to protest against the CAA and the NRC. Debsmita Chowdhury, a student from the University’s Department of International Relations, who won a medal for her academic performance, ripped the copy of the legislation at her convocation and shouted ‘Inquilab Zindabad’ before leaving the stage.
‘We won’t show our papers’
Many citizens have expressed their dissent through art, such as poems, cartoons and graphic visuals. ‘Hum Kaagaz Nahi Dikhayenge’ which translates to ‘We won’t show the papers’ is a poem penned by Varun Grover, a national award-winning lyricist, went instantly viral and also made it to posters at anti-CAA rallies.
"हम काग़ज़ नहीं दिखाएँगे।"
— वरुण (@varungrover) December 21, 2019
Inspired by the spirit of every protestor and India-lover. With hat-tips to Rahat Indori saab and the Bangla slogans.
(There is no copyright on these words - feel free to use them, adapt, sing, modify, create.) pic.twitter.com/bJZULAAvR8