Lakhs of people attended the 'Tiranga Rally'

The three-kilometre stretch between Mir Alam Eidgah and Shastripuram Grounds turned into a sea of tricolour, literally, on Friday, when close to 1.5 lakh people, the number estimated by the organisers, marched holding the national flag and raising slogans against CAA, NRC and NPR.

Men, women and children from various parts of the city converged at the Mir Alam Eidgah around 1.30 pm on a call for holding a ‘Tiranga Rally’ under the aegis of United Muslim Action Forum formed recently for spearheading the Anti CAA-NRC-NPA movement.

The roads leading to the Mir Alam Eidgah were decked up with the tricolour and banners with Preamble to the Constitution of India printed on it. Volunteers were seen distributing national flag to the public while a few handed over placards and badges with anti-CAA messages.

“It is the first time in my life that I am witnessing so many people carrying national flags and raising ‘Hindustan Zindabad’ slogans on such a massive scale. Generally we see the national flag hoisted only during the



Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations,” said. 

A school teacher, said that they had joined the anti-CAA protest to send a strong message. “We are part of a historic gathering. We want to be part of the change we would like bring in for the coming generations of the country,” she said.

Several men and women, along with their children, came to participate in the gathering. A few brought along portable microphone and speakers to lead the crowds into raising anti-CAA-NRC slogans during the rally. Several volunteers arranged free drinking water and snacks for participants and dispensed it all along the route. Teams of medical volunteers also set up camps en route while a group of lawyers stayed put at the starting point of the rally.

Since morning, several roadside stalls came up selling various sizes of the tricolour and other merchandise. Shops and business establishments had shut down following the call of the Old City Traders Association to extend support to the rally.