Dear Dr. Harsh Vardhan,

With the entire world in the midst of a health crisis and India poised to hit a critical stage in the COVID-19 trajectory, everyone is doing their bit towards warding off this crisis, in big ways and small. Social Distancing has been strongly advised over the next few weeks as a critical measure. 

In this context, the continuing protest of multitudes of women at Shaheen Bagh, however peaceful, comes as a shock. In these trying, life- threatening times, we need to put our differences aside and fight the menace of this dreaded disease together.

Through this petition, I’d like to urge you to request the relevant authorities to disperse the Shaheen Bagh protestors in the interests of their own health and well- being as well as that of the community and society at large. In continuing with this protest using inadequate measures like their dupattas, they jeopardise their own safety AND negate all the good work that our hospitals, doctors, nurses and health functionaries, airport and quarantine centre staff are doing.

I urge you to request the concerned authorities to peacefully disperse such gatherings as Shaheen Bagh, atleast for the next few weeks.

Thank you,

Neetu Sehgal Mahajan