A family of five — a former advertisement executive, his two artiste daughters, the elder daughter’s husband and her mother-in-law — sold souvenirs on Sunday afternoon to raise funds for an event to protest the amended citizenship act.

Abeer Chakrabarty, 65, the former executive vice-president of an advertising firm in the city, and his daughters Sumana Chakrabarty and Rukmini Chakrabarty had designed badges, posters and T-shirts with the message “People’s Carnival against Fascism” and a symbol of a raised fist on a tambourine.

“We were selling these items to crowdfund the event. The students have launched a fight against efforts to change the secular fabric of the country. We are doing our bit to stand by them,” Abeer said.

Sumana and Rukmini, both Loreto House alumni, were busy explaining to buyers the theme portrayed in the souvenirs.

“So far we have walked in rallies across the city. But on Sunday the protest was launched through performances by artistes from different walks of life. As a visual artiste, I thought this could be our way of conveying the message,” Sumana said.

Younger sister Rukmini, who has graduated from Kala Bhavana in Santiniketan, said she was concerned about students being beaten up by goons at Visva-Bharati last week.

“Attacks are being unleashed on campuses, be it JNU or Santiniketan. We have to resist,” Rukmini said.

Seated between the sisters was Avneesh Narang, a former student of economist at St Stephen’s College who works at a consultancy. “We can’t remain mute spectators any longer. Even the students of my college are hitting the streets,” said Narang, Sumana’s husband.

His mother, who teaches management, said: “This is not the India I grew up in.”

Abhimanyu Basu bought a T-shirt from the stall and was happy to “contribute to the cause”.