People of all age groups from different parts of Murshidabad district have converged here to replicate protests going on in New Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, Calcutta’s Park Circus and Lucknow’s Ghanta Ghar against the National Register of Citizens and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

A move initiated by an anti-NRC forum in the district headquarters town on Wednesday turned the area outside the Behrampore district magistrate’s office into a Shaheen Bagh beyond bigger cities.

What began as a trickle on Wednesday has “snowballed” into a Delhi-like protest by Friday with several hundred people, mainly women, coming to the venue throughout the day.

“I came here because I saw a friend streaming on Facebook Live. What is happening in Delhi has inspired me, so I rushed here immediately,” said 20-year-old college student Rituparna Ray from Behrampore town.

Ray, who joined the sit-in on Thursday and has been staying for most part of the day, added: “I am totally against religion-based discrimination, so I had to make my voice heard.”

Sources said since it had begun on Wednesday, 150-200 protesters have been present at any time of the day at the tarpaulin-covered protest venue. “We began with a meeting to protest against the Centre’s citizenship thrust, but a group of people wanted to start a Shaheen Bagh-like sit-in that has grown big as news about it spread like wildfire,” said Abrah Hossain, 52, the convenor of Behrampore’s Anti-NRC Sanhati.

“New faces, especially women, are rushing in here every day to say ‘We are with you’,” he added.

Among the protesters seen at the venue — which, like Delhi, is witness to impassioned speeches or fervent singing at any given time of day — were 75-year-old Sutiya Bewa and 22-year-old Jeba Nasrin from Behrampore.

“I am here for people like Jeba, who have their whole lives ahead of them,” said Sutiya. “I want her life to be one of freedom, and not one of persecution or imprisonment.”

Amjura Khatun, 32, a mother from Gorabajar in the district, was seen at the venue on Friday and Saturday afternoons with her three-month-old baby. “I am also here to ensure the safety of her future,” said Khatun.

“Every little drop makes up the ocean,” said Sutiya before asserting, “the force of all our efforts combined will sweep away the BJP.”

Attendees at Behrampore’s sit-in struck a clear parallel with the protests in Calcutta’s Park Circus and New Market areas, where hundreds of women — including several from the Muslim community — camped overnight with their husbands and children.