Kolkata: Mayor Firhad Hakim on Monday met the family members of anti-CAA protester Sameeda Khatoon, who died on Saturday night after suffering a heart attack at the protest site in Park Circus Maidan, dubbed as Kolkatas Shaheen Bagh. "What exactly happened to her (Sameeda)? You can share your problems with me," said Hakim, referring to the family members of the 57-year-old deceased woman at her home in Entally. He also asked them when she joined the ongoing Swadhinata Andolan 2.0 started by women, demanding revocation of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR) at Park Circus Maidan. "She (Sameeda) had joined the anti-CAA protest since the first day of the protest on January 7. She used to go to the protest site every day. On Saturday night, she was with at the protest venue and her health deteriorated. At around 12.10 am, she complained of breathing problem. She was immediately rushed to Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital, where the doctors told that she had suffered a cardiac arrest. We later took her to Islamia Hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead," pointed out a family member. A two-minute mourning session for the martyr (Sameeda) was held at 5 pm on Sunday at Park Circus Maidan. "Mayor Firhad Hakim has supported us. He asserted that my mothers sacrifice will not go in vain. He is with us. This apart, he said that if the protesters require blankets to brave the cold during winter then it will be provided. The protesters should not leave the protest venue. The pandal (protest) will be made stronger and protester-friendly," said Tahir Ali, son of Sameeda. It might be mentioned that the 24-hour vigil against the Centres "discriminatory" policies, which started two days after the JNU violence, has gained momentum. Women from different parts of the city are joining the protest throughout day and night at Park Circus Maidan. State Panchayat and Rural Development minister Subrata Mukherjee also met the women protesters of Swadhinata Andolan 2.0, led by 45-year-old Asmat Jamil. The controversial CAA, which was passed by both Houses of Parliament in December last year, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan after facing religious persecution there.

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