In order to cheer up and encourage the thousands of Mumbaikars, particularly students, who continued their "peaceful" fight against the violence at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) by masked goons, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap visited the protest at Gateway of India.
The filmmaker took a dig at the Narendra Modi-led union government by thanking God that the BJP was not ruling in Maharashtra.
Referring to the brutality at JNU allegedly by ABVP activists, Kashyap said, "We should be thankful because we are both lucky and safe. I say this as we are safe that we do not have their (BJP) government here (in Maharashtra)."
The filmmaker was accompanied by musician Vishal Dadlani, who asked the protestors not to loose calm.
"I am sure we will win over them. But this is possible only by our love. We will win their hearts as they want to divide India. They are full of hate but we will win by love," Dadlani said.
Apart from these celebs there were numerous businessmen, restaurant owners, families of students and also several NGOs, present at Gateway of India to support the protests.
None of these people or rather not a single individual was invited specially or called in to stage protest. In fact, people learnt about the protests through social media or other modes of communication.
"It is an umbrella protest as no organization or institute arranged it alone. This protest has been called in by individual students and people. No one wants to take credit for supply of food and water. It is a protest of the people, for the people, by the people like our democracy which the union government wants to destroy,” said one of the protesters.
"People can show their aid and solidarity, even on the social media platforms. Online protest also matters as do missed calls on support of CAA," said Subhan Shaikh, a businessman from Vashi, new Mumbai.
Meanwhile, in order to ensure the protestors do not face any issues in their fight, anonymous people and restaurant owners were seen distributing packets of food and locals were providing biscuits, tea, sandwiches and snacks. Even medical and first aid centres were made available for the protestors.
For the first time, the authorities kept all the public toilets in the vicinity open for throughout the day and night. Two mobile loos and eight washrooms were arranged at the protest site. The volunteers also arranged for plastic mats and blankets for these protestors.
