As the anti-CAA protest hit Bengaluru, at least 200 people including Historian Ramachandra Guha, were detained on Thursday morning as they attempted to protest the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in two places.
Section 144 has been imposed in parts of Karnataka, especially in Bengaluru for three days beginning Thursday. However, by the end of the day, the prohibitory orders were lifted from other parts.
Slogans And Protest
Chants of “inquilab zindabad” were heard from the crowd. One protester was also seen presenting a rose flower to a police officer while the latter was controlling the crowd.
Speaking to The Logical Indian, a lady detained from Town Hall said: “I am only standing here, I was detained unreasonably. I was not doing anything. I was just travelling. Police are beating us, without any reason, This is wrong.”
“I am not even an adult. I came here to demonstrate peacefully. However, I was detained even when I was not with the mob,” a 16-year-old present at the venue of the protest said.
Around 11.30 am, another group of protesters from National Law School in Bengaluru and other colleges also gathered at Town Hall. They were on a peaceful protest, holding up anti-CAA posters. The DCP Central Chethan Singh Rathore was seen negotiating with them.
“I was crossing the road to catch a metro. The police dragged me to the bus where other people were also detained,” a man present at the protest told The Logical Indian.
A call for protest was also given at Mysore Bank Circle in Bengaluru. Around 150 people gathered at 11 am and raised slogans against CAA. Protesters said that instead of focusing on the economy and unemployment, the government had introduced legislation that spread hatred between communities.
Hundreds of protesters demonstrating with flags and placards were detained and hauled into buses by Bengaluru police. A senior police officer was also seen snatching flags from protestors.
The decision to impose Section 144 in several areas in the country based on violence in Delhi was questioned. Congress MP Rajeev Gowda has filed a Public Interest Litigation against the decision.
I have moved Karnataka High Court against unjust imposition of Section 144. It curbs our constitutional rights. Matter will be heard tomorrow
I urge police across India to not detain & not harm those protesting peacefully@Sowmyareddyr https://t.co/UB9nCJ55d3
— Rajeev Gowda (@rajeevgowda) December 19, 2019
Defending the decision to impose restrictions in Bengaluru, Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa accused the Congress of giving a call for protest. “The Congress is behind protests against CAA. Taking care of Muslims is our responsibility. Request all to maintain peace. If Congress leaders continue to support protests, then they’ll face the consequences,” he said.
Bengaluru police chief Bhaskar Rao appealed to people of the city to not “mar daily life” in “an international destination where people had come from parts of the country and world to study and do economic activities.”
Bengaluru Police Feeds Protestors
Amid all the ruckus, the Bangalore city police were showered with praises for arranging for tomato rice to feed protesters during lunchtime. Some of the senior citizens who were diabetic complained of low sugar. The police gave glucose powder to them.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (Madiwala), Karibasavana Gouda said, “We are also human beings… we saw them hungry and immediately alerted a hotel nearby and arranged food for all 120 [people detained]. While we released them, they came and thanked us personally for our hospitality. Humanity comes first. I’m a human too in a uniform.”
Also Read: Nationwide Outpour Against Citizenship Act, Metro Stations Shut, Mobile Services Suspended
