The resistance strikes back: women’s protest strategies against backlash in India

The Shaheen Bagh site epitomised the longest sit-in intergenerational protests in India since Independence. Especially novel about these was presence and leadership of first-time Muslim women protestors. also inspired other sit-ins across country, including several Delhi. Yet, nowhere except did struggle last as long, with participation many over a continuous significant period time. This article will explore who were, how why they came together to protest proposed change India’s citizenship rights. It draw on interviews, field observations, published material, delineate new forms strategies used by response what I term ‘cyclical’ backlash state. underscore organically evolving nature that adopted, highlight use physical, digital, figurative space became hallmark women’s organising this protest. In light continuing state intolerance shrinking for civil society, concludes reflections lessons future feminist resistance can from analysis, be able strike back against backlash.