India is observing one of its most challenging phases right now, as the history, the present, and the future is precariously balanced, the political fabric of the country is permanently pockmarked, in a way that has left the nation and its people divided and united at the same time. And it was CAA that split the nation and its ideologies wide open. For the most part (and we say this with due reservations) the protest have been peaceful. But more importantly, the biggest narrative that emerged out of these protests was the fact that women have shown great courage and in surprising numbers, especially at Shaheen Bagh, to insinuate how they aren’t sitting out on this one.

And where once the protests were reflective of the peaceful dissent, the narrative is slowly changing and now, it is turning into a site of increasing violence and cowardice, as the protestors get shot at by miscreants. As reported, the protests that had been going strong and well under control, witnessed an ugly and uncalled for turn when on Thursday, while some Jamia students were preparing to march to Rajghat on Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary, a 17-year-old teenager, identified as Kapil Gujjar, publicly open fired at the students in Jamia Milia. He was walking around confidently, brandishing a gun and mouthing what can be called political obscenities who went on to then shoot and injure a student in the arm, while the police, just witnessed and did nothing except stood as mute spectators.

An incident that should have been met with more uproar then had a jarring encore on Saturday, this time at the Shaheen Bagh, where a man opened fire at the site where women had been peacefully observing a protest for more than 50 days now.

The terrorist. He fired in #ShaheenBagh. Is anyone doing any effort to de-radicalised these kind of fanatic Hindu youth in India? pic.twitter.com/vK869zEYv2 — Ovais Sultan Khan (@OvaisSultanKhan) February 1, 2020

#WATCH Delhi: People gather in protest outside Jamia Millia Islamia University following an incident of firing at gate no.5 of the university. 2 scooty-borne unidentified people had fired bullets at the spot. SHO (Station house officer) is present at the spot. Investigation is on pic.twitter.com/EKlxQPBVum — ANI (@ANI) February 2, 2020

The FIRs have been lodged, shooters from two of the incidents have been caught and detained. But let’s look at the bigger picture.

While the Police claims to be on top of the matter with increased security at the protest sites, we can’t help but wonder what this political turmoil has boiled down to. The threat of women standing strong at Shaheen Bagh and students marching at Jamia Milia has grown so strong, it is now invoking acts of cowardice from people, who don’t know better than to resort with violent means against unarmed women and students. We understand, that the sentiments are fragile and more amplified than ever, but turning the front into a real war, and indulging in real bloodshed is something that is neither acceptable, nor necessary.

There is no courage in raising your hands and indulging in violence against a group of innocent women and children. This is especially true for Shaheen Bagh, that has emerged as the site for powerful women, braving the cold and sitting through the political unrest, unfettered. People need to be reminded that in this war for equality and justice, we need not shed our humanity.

Guns or no guns, it will take more than that to hold back the women and the woke citizens here, and maybe that should be reason enough for people to put down their weapons and come to reason, like civil citizens and not unhinged terrorists in the name of being nationalists.

GET HAUTERFLY IN YOUR INBOX!