‘I was standing for their basic rights’

Storyteller Tejal Prabhu, who was seen holding a placard that read “Free Kashmir” at the student-led #OccupyGateway protest, issued an apology on social media on

Storyteller Tejal Prabhu, who was seen holding a placard that read “Free Kashmir” at the student-led #OccupyGateway protest, issued an apology on social media on Tuesday. Later in the day, Mumbai Police charged Prabhu under section 153(B), alleging the placard showed prejudice to national integration.

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In a video post on social media, Prabhu, 37, said she had thought “Free Kashmir” referred to the internet lockdown enforced in August 2019 since Kashmir became a Union territory. Her placard was spotted and singled out by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis, who criticised CM Uddhav Thackeray for allowing “anti-India” sentiments.

Prabhu, who goes by Mehek Mirza Prabhu, said her intention behind carrying the placard had been misinterpreted. “The placard meant freedom to express themselves, freedom from the internet lockdown which many people have been voicing for. I was voicing my solidarity for basic constitutional rights,” she said.

In a three-minute video, titled Truth behind the Lady holding the placard “Free Kashmir”, Prabhu outlined the sequence of events at the Gateway of India protest, which began on January 5 and was ultimately called off on Tuesday. Prabhu was among hundreds who came to join protesters at Gateway on Monday night. She said she saw people painting placards, one of which read “Free Kashmir”.

Prabhu explained, “So when I saw the placard, the first thing that came to my mind was ‘we are here to talk about the freedom of basic constitutional rights’ and right now, the internet is shut down for the last five months for the people of Kashmir... [Kashmiris] should also get the basic rights which we are getting. So keeping this thing in mind, I picked up the placard.”

Prabhu also said she is not Kashmiri. “I am a Maharashtrian. I am born and brought up in Mumbai. So the narrative which has been put out is absolutely wrong,” Prabhu said. She added, “That has been blown out of proportion... I have been branded as if I am a member of a gang.”