Aligarh: On the night of 15 December, Ayesha (20) and Tuba (21), two students of AMU sat in their homes listening to the sound of tear gas bombs coming from the university. Then students started calling them saying that they were being beaten up by the police. “Hamein itna hopeless mehsoos hua—We felt so hopeless,” says Tuba. They discussed among themselves and, after the violence that had marred Sunday night protests, they decided that a peaceful, silent protest would be the better strategy.

This is how I met them, sitting outside, below the steps of the Maulana Azad Library holding placards that read: “Silent protest #SUPPORTAMU #REJECTCAB,” “Protest is our right #REJECT CAB”, and “Tanashahi nahi chalegi—We do not accept dictatorship”.

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(Tag: Resilience)