Massive anti-CAA stir at Mumbai’s iconic August Kranti Maidan, life remains unaffected

Mumbai saw around 20,000 people show up at August Kranti Maidan in South Mumbai, according to police. Protesters carried placards with pictures of Mahatma Gandhi.

On a day authorities shut down 20 Metro stations in the national capital and commuters in Delhi faced a harrowing time due to prohibitory orders, normal life was largely unaffected in Mumbai on Thursday, albeit a big protest was organised against the amended citizenship act and the proposed pan-India National Register of citizens. The city saw around 20,000 people show up at August Kranti Maidan in South Mumbai, according to police. Protesters carried placards with pictures of Mahatma Gandhi.

People protested against CAA and NRC at August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai, on Thursday, December 19, 2019. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

Organised by multiple citizens’ groups and student organisations, the protest was held in Tardeo, where, in 1942, Mahatma Gandhi delivered his famous “Quit India” speech.

Some political leaders such as CPI(M) politburo member Prakash Reddy and Congress’s Milind Deora were present.

Within 30 minutes of the official starting time of 4pm, the ground was packed. Protesters shouted slogans such as “Inquilab zindabad” and “Awaz do, hum ek hain”.

Actor-director Nandita Das said, “I think the NRC and CAA together is a strike on our constitutional democracy. I request the fence-sitters: If you value your freedom, you must stand up for it.” Among other celebrities in attendance were actor-directors Farhan Akhtar and Konkona Sen Sharma; actors Suhasini Mulay, Jaaved Jaaferi, Huma Qureshi and Swara Bhaskar.

Students showed up in big numbers.Over 500 students from Jai Hind College and HR College, and 300 from St Xavier’s College attended the protest. Mansi Joshi, from HR College, said, “It is a show of strength that people in Mumbai stood up to the [Central] government in such large numbers.”

Deora said, “Any movement that starts from this ground will succeed. There isn’t a bigger nationalist than someone who stands for secularism and the students gathered here today have done just that.”

Former student of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Fahad Ahmed said, “This is just the beginning. More protests will be held in the next few days.”’

Protests were also held at prominent cities in Maharashtra, including Pune, Nagpur and Aurangabad.