Marchers in Central Delhi's Connaught Place have chanted slogans including “Desh Ke Gaddaron Ko, Goli Maro Saalon Ko” (Shoot the traitors of the Nation) and Bharat Mata Ki Jai (Hail Mother India).
Several protestors holding India’s national flag and a photo of Intelligence Bureau member Ankit Sharma, who was killed during the three-day Delhi riots, marched through the street.
In Delhi's Connaught Place, men shouting "Desh Ke Gaddaron Ko, Goli Maaron Salo Ko." marching through our capital as @DelhiPolice stands and watches. Are the deaths of our citizens already not quite enough? What is this nonsense #DelhiRiots pic.twitter.com/ziTFZD79vW
— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) February 29, 2020
The slogan gained prominence after it was raised by Bharatiya Janata Party parliamentarian Anurag Thakur on stage during a Delhi election campaign rally in January. The word ‘Traitor’ is a reference to anti-citizenship protestors.
Various civil rights organisations, student unions and members of the general public oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act, describing it as biased towards the Muslim community as the act conspicuously excludes Muslim immigrants from being granted citizenship. The government has denied allegations of discrimination.
People chanted similar slogans in Rajiv Chowk metro station in Delhi on Saturday. It is one of the most crowded metro stations in the city and the incident took place during the rush hour. The Delhi police detained six people following the incident. A video shared on Twitter shows slogans being chanted.
Forget Delhi, even metro isn't safe now. Slogans of Desh ke gaddaro ko... Raised at Rajiv Chowk metro station.
— Zafar Abbas (@zafarabbaszaidi) February 29, 2020
So.. North East riots weren't enough , 42 bodies weren't enough. What's next ? pic.twitter.com/jC4nNdMeYg
Delhi is trying to return to normal after witnessing severe riots that began on 23 February between the supporters and opponents of the Citizenship law. The violence began a day before the high-profile visit of US President Donald Trump to India.
