Women demonstrating an indefinite sit-in against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) at Lucknow’s iconic Clock Tower, have been accused of rioting and unlawful assembly and have been booked by the Uttar Pradesh Police in three criminal cases.

The police have identified and named 18 persons, mostly women, demonstrating against the new citizenship law. Among 18 booked are the daughters of poet Munnawar Rana – Sumaiya Rana and Fauzia Rana.

Around 50 women began the sit-in demonstration against the citizenship law on Friday, January 17, 2020. However, the numbers reached thousands within two days. The women also showed solidarity with thousands of women protesting in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh area.

In the police complaints, more than 100 unnamed protesters have also been accused of ‘disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant, assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty.’

As per the complaint, the women had not only refused to disperse when a woman police personnel asked them to move out but also pushed her.

It is speculated, that the police have filed the complaint after the protesters manhandled the female constable.

On Saturday night, the police were also accused of stealing the blankets from the protesters. However, the Lucknow police dismissed the allegation and said that some organisations were distributing blankets in park premises, and non-protesters were coming to the area to take it.

After the parliament passed the new Citizenship Act which fast-tracks the citizenship to non-muslim persecuted minorities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, nationwide protests have erupted in the country condemning the Act. Also Read: Students In Telangana And Uttar Pradesh All Set To Learn About CAA, NRC As Part Of Their Curriculum