Chicago – September 12, 2025
Sharjeel Imam, a student of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), is widely recognized as the catalyst behind the historic Shaheen Bagh protest.
On December 5, 2019, when around a hundred Muslim students first gathered on campus to oppose the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Imam urged that to effectively challenge the government and its law, road blockades (chakka jam) were necessary. This call to action evolved into the monumental peaceful sit-in at Shaheen Bagh.
On December 15, 2019, Sharjeel Imam addressed the protesters at Shaheen Bagh, famously telling the women and men gathered, “Sit down, we have to block this road.”
This marked the beginning of what became the largest Muslim-led protest in India’s recent history, with women leading a continuous blockade of the Kalindi Kunj Road in Delhi. The protest lasted over three months, symbolizing resistance against the CAA and police actions, and inspired similar movements nationwide.
Afreen Fatima, former JNU counsellor, shares her firsthand experience from the campus, highlighting Imam’s vital role in mobilizing and guiding the students. The Shaheen Bagh protest remains a milestone in India’s history of peaceful civil resistance.
