As Delhi's Shaheen Bagh became the epicentre of India's spirit of unity and undeterred commitment to the cause, a bus stop turned into a makeshift library has added to the beauty of the place.
Amid thousands of voices protesting against the government's Citizenship Amendment Act, a group of them has expressed their solidarity at the Fatima Sheikh Savitribai Phule Library, about 50 metres from the protest site in Shaheen Bagh. Named after two strong women who changed history and women's rights forever, this library reminds every protester and every woman of their reason to revolt each day.
The library was started on January 17, 2020, marking the fourth death anniversary of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit research scholar at the University of Hyderabad. People visiting the library claimed that this is a symbol of protest.
Rohith's image is placed in a corner of the library with candle burns, books spread across the floor and portraits of social reformers in the backdrop, with a hope that the movement will sustain if people learn, agitate and organise together.
The library was put together after Mohd Asif, along with with his friends donated 25-30 books from their personal collection of literature books. After a massive contribution, a Facebook campaign also launched to procure more books. From Anne Frank's 'Diary of a Young Girl', J K Rowling's 'The Casual Vacancy' to Khushwant Singh's 'End of India', this library has something to offer to every individual
The all-women protest, the horrific JNU incident on January 5 and constant efforts to malign the movement in Shaheen Bagh motivated people to set up the library where people could contribute to the cause.
With dim lights and strong dedication, the library has a spread of books that talk about the history and the foundation of this country. From George Orwell's 1984, Premchand's collective works, Ismat Chugtai's stories to Isaac Assimov and Ghalib's musings, this makeshift library attracts people from all walks of life. The library makes Shaheen Bagh much more than just a site of protest.
At the Fatima Sheikh Savitribai Phule Library in Shaheen Bagh. If you want to donate books, DM me. #shaheenbagh #ShaheenBaghProtest @FatimaPhule pic.twitter.com/j8vyXYk3SY
— Dessidre Fleming (@DessidreFleming) January 24, 2020
A site of struggle and peace, rebellion and determination, Shaheen Bagh reminds every protester of the beautiful relationship between books and revolution.
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