Mumbai Bagh holds its ground on Day 12

The protest dubbed “Mumbai Bagh” at Morland Road, in Mumbai Central, entered its 12th day despite political leaders withdrawing their support and Mumbai Police attempting

The protest dubbed “Mumbai Bagh” at Morland Road, in Mumbai Central, entered its 12th day despite political leaders withdrawing their support and Mumbai Police attempting to control access to the site on Thursday. Women protesters defied the deadline of 5pm that had been imposed on them and by evening, more than 1,000 protesters had gathered at the site. Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi and activist Umar Khalid also visited Mumbai Bagh on Thursday evening.

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Led by local Muslim women, the sit-in protest at Morland Road is against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the National Population Register and the National Register of Citizens. On February 1, Mumbai Police attempted to vacate Morland Road, but protesters refused to leave. The police issued a notice to the protesters under section 149 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) on Monday, on grounds that the peaceful agitation may lead to a law and order problem. Later that day, a delegation from Mumbai Bagh met state home minister Anil Deshmukh.

On Thursday afternoon, Nationalist Congress Party leader Naseem Siddiqui held a press conference in which he said a meeting had been held on Wednesday night between community and political leaders, all of whom supported the decision to call off the protest. Siddiqui said they have signed an undertaking saying they wouldn’t be responsible for anything that happens at the protest site after 5pm. Later, some local leaders like Maulana Mehmood Dariyabadi, general secretary of the All India Ulema Council, denied signing any document. By 4pm, the atmosphere at Morland Road was tense with Mumbai Police maintaining a register with the names and addresses of those attending the protest and forbidding entry to men. A constable on duty said this was being done for the protesters’ “security”. Around 4.30pm, photographer Ashish Raje was assaulted by police officers who forced him out of the protest area. “Even after repeated requests and showing my [press] ID, I was abused by the cops. My glasses broke and I injured my hand,” said Raje. A male bystander who was live streaming the protest was allegedly pinned down by police and released only after a lawyer intervened on his behalf.

Deshmukh told the media on Thursday that he hoped the Mumbai Bagh protest would be withdrawn and that the government would consider diluting the notice served to protesters (under section 149 of the CrPC Act) if they stopped the agitation. The protesters maintain they were not consulted about the 5pm deadline and have refused to vacate the area until the CAA, NPR and NRC are rolled back. They also denied claims that the protest had political backing. “The decision of those claiming to be leaders and organisers of this protest has not been accepted by these women,” said Feroze Mithiborwala, member of Joint Action Committee, which has helped the women organising the protest.

By evening, Morland Road was packed with protesters, slogans and speeches. Gandhi visited the site and praised the women for their courage and determination, while Khalid said: “What I’m hearing about some leaders speaking with the Maharashtra government and unilaterally calling off the movement, that is not acceptable. It is not their movement, it is a people’s movement. He also urged the protesters to hold their ground until the Maharashtra government issues “a clear directive” on NPR.

Some local politicians supported Mumbai Bagh.

“I have been supporting anti- CAA protestors across the country, and I am with the protesters,” said Waris Pathan of AIMIM.