Varanasi, January 2: Mother of one-and-a-half-year-old Champak, whose parents were arrested during protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on December 19, has been released from jail. Her Parents, Ravi Shekhar and Ekta Shekhar, both social activists were lodged in Varanasi jail with 67 others for anti-CAA protests. Anti-CAA Stir: UP Police Using CCTV Videos, Media Footage to Release Photos of 'Violent Protesters', Offers Cash Reward to Informants.
"She is dependent on my milk, I was worried about her. It was very tough for me," Ekta Shekhar was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. The pictures of Champak reuniting with her mother is going viral on social media. In the heartwarming pictures, the toddler can be seen extremely happy. Anti-CAA Protests: 1,113 Arrests, 5,558 Preventive Detentions, 19 Dead in Uttar Pradesh.
ANI Tweet:
Ekta Shekhar who was arrested along with her husband during protests against Citizenship Amendment Act in Varanasi on 19th December, has been granted bail. Ekta says, "My baby daughter Champak is dependent on my milk, I was worried about her. It was very tough for me". pic.twitter.com/ZhaIk61P01
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) January 2, 2020
Champak's separation from her parents came to light after Indian National Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra tweeted about the toddler. On January 1, the party's general secretary criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party for separating the minor girl with her parents.
Priyanka Gandhi Tweet:
इस सरकार का नैतिक कर्तव्य है कि वह इस बच्चे की बेगुनाह माँ को घर जाने दे।
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) January 1, 2020
The country is witnessing mass protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The law seeks to provide Indian citizenship to six religious communities- except Muslims- from three Islamic countries who entered India before 2015 and faced religious persecution.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 02, 2020 10:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).