50 charged with sedition over slogan at pride meet

More than 50 people were charged with sedition by Mumbai Police on Monday for raising slogans in support of student Sharjeel Imam, who has been arrested by Delhi

More than 50 people were charged with sedition by Mumbai Police on Monday for raising slogans in support of student Sharjeel Imam, who has been arrested by Delhi Police over sedition charges for statements he made against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).

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Azad Maidan police registered a case following a complaint lodged by Bharatiya Janata Party’s Kirit Somaiya on February 2. The police first information report (FIR) was filed on Monday, on the basis of a video from the Queer Azadi March (QAM), which was held on February 1 at the Azad Maidan ground.

Last week, Mumbai Police had denied QAM permission to hold a rally on the ground that anti-CAA opinions may be aired.

Sangram Singh Nishandar, deputy commissioner of police, zone 1, confirmed that Azad Maidan police has registered a case under sections 124(A) (sedition); 153(B) (assertions prejudicial to national integration); 500 (defamation) and 505 (public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code.

Urvashi Chudawala, along with others, is raised slogans like, “Sharjeel tere sapano ko manzil tak pahuchayenge (Sharjeel, we will fulfil your dreams).”

At a press conference held on Monday, state home minister Anil Deshmukh said “Chudawala and others will face legal action for the slogans they raised on Saturday.”

Investigations are still on.