Maharashtra to give relief to anti-CAA protesters?

The state government may withdraw cases filed against those who took part in the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) stir in Mumbai early this year.

The state government may withdraw cases filed against those who took part in the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) stir in Mumbai early this year.

Mumbai Bagh at Mumbai Central. (HT Photo)

A delegation of civil activists, under the banner of Hum Bharat Ke Log, met home minister Anil Deshmukh at his official residence on Thursday. Deshmukh has promised them “appropriate action”, they said.

According to the activists, there are at least five FIRs registered against the protesters in various police stations, along with more such cases across the city.

“It was a peaceful protest across Mumbai and Maharashtra. There was no violence. The police booked many indiscriminately,” said Feroze Mithiborwala, a central committee member, Hum Bharat Ke Log, who submitted a memorandum signed by 31 scholars, social activists and politicians to the home minister. “We requested for withdrawal of the cases in accordance with the recent state government decision of withdrawal of social and political cases. All anti-CAA agitations received a huge response from the public. We have mentioned five FIRs registered in various police stations, although there are more such cases lodged in the city for protesting against the CAA. The minister has forwarded our memorandum to his department for further action,” said Mithiborwala, adding, “As the trains are still not running, our activists will face a harrowing time coming to courts. Moreover, it is risky to travel during the Covid-19 pandemic and we may have to spend a lot of money.”

Deshmukh has instructed officials from the home department to take cognisance of the matter.

Last year, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central Government passed the CAA, which it said was aimed at helping persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries. This led to protests across the country, including Maharashtra.

One of the prominent sit-in protests in the city was at Agripada, termed Mumbai Bagh on the lines of Delhi’s Shaheen Baug, which went on for 56 days. It was called off after a lockdown was imposed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.