Ramaswami: Sumedha Pal 17 Feb 2020 Solidarity and sisterhood: Mahila Ekta March Visits All 24/7 Protest Sites in Delhi Protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in India are redefining resistance in a number of ways. However, perhaps the most important aspect is the enormous presence of women at the front lines. The recently concluded Delhi elections saw the very women at the center of a vicious campaign, from being labeled ‘sell-outs’ to being asked ‘why they are at the forefront’, tiding over the right-wing narrative of questioning women’s participation in protests. After over 60 days of the ongoing resistance, 24/7 protest-sites in Delhi are going strong, with hope that the government will engage in a dialogue at some point. On February 14, a three-day long Mahila Ekta Yatra which concluded on February 16 began across 10 protest sites in Delhi in a show of solidarity. REDEFINING GENDER ROLES, STANDING TALL TOGETHER: “Whenever draconian policies come in place or when fascist forces rise, the worst affected are the women. We are standing up against this very oppression and the message is one of solidarity.” said Amrita Johri, one of the organisers of the march. Over two months of resistance has been sustained through sisterhood. The movement against the discriminatory CAA has paved ways for women to discuss issues that unite them, ranging from domestic violence to sexual harrasment. mahila5.png Across protest sites, many women were first-time protesters aiming to redefine gender roles thrust on them. Speaking to NewsClick, a protester from Chandbagh said: “We are asked why we are bringing children to a protest? Who will do the housework? We are redefining what it means to be a woman; we are leading a revolution on the ground.”