Exclusive: I Was Asked To Sign Letter Saying I Am Mentally Unstable, Man Who Raised Anti-CAA Slogans At Shahs Election Rally

Image credit: Patrika

Exclusive: "I Was Asked To Sign Letter Saying I Am Mentally Unstable," Man Who Raised Anti-CAA Slogans At Shah's Election Rally

Harjit Singh was taken straight to the police station where he was told he is anti-national and was made to write that he is unstable.

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Voting for the BJP in the upcoming Delhi election "will prevent thousands of incidents like Shaheen Bagh", Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday, hinting at those protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

"When you press the button (on the voting machine) on February 8, do so with such anger that its current is felt at Shaheen Bagh," Shah said at an election rally in Delhi.

Shah's address was briefly interrupted when a man who stood up and started raising slogans against the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

20-year-old, Harjit Singh, screamed "CAA waapas lo, NRC nahi chalega" interrupting Shah's address.

In a video clip, which has now gone viral, Shah can be seen asking Harjit to sit down and then proceeds to ask the security men to escort him out safely.

The BJP leader then resumed his speech after chanting "Bharat Mata ki Jai."

Harjit Singh, however, was pushed to the ground by people in the audience. "Some of them also grabbed chairs to hit me, I tried to protect my head my with my hands," Singh told The Logical Indian.

"I was on my way to attend a protest in Seelampur and saw heavy police presence in Babarpur. On asking the officers, they told me Amit Shah was coming. I wanted to head to the protest, but I couldn't locate it. That's when I saw him and thought this was the right time to register my protest. Hum kyon daare, sacchai humare saath hai, humein apni awaaz rakhne ka haq hai," he said.

BA second-year political science student of Delhi University's School of Open Learning, Singh claims that he was caught unaware as he did not anticipate such an aggressive response from the crowd.

According to Singh, the police took him directly to the police station and not to the hospital, despite complaining of pain and bruises.

Accused of being a "desh drohi" on entering the police station, Singh says, "I told them my head was hurting, they asked Khoon toh nahi naikal raha na."

The police refused to inform him of charges, he was kept in jail overnight.

"My family waited for me outside the police station all night," Harjit recalled.

Singh mentioned an interesting incident at the police station, in a kind gesture, one of the on-duty policemen shared his dinner with Singh.

He also alleged that the next day around noon, Delhi Police pressured him to sign a letter stating he is mentally unstable and that he wasn't aware of what he was doing.

"The SHO called for me, when I went there I saw that a letter was already written, my father was asked to take a copy. In the letter, it was mentioned that I am mentally unstable"

Harjit said he was reluctant to sign the letter, but his father insisted on it.

"I realized that I can't continue protesting if I am sitting in prison, I had to sign the letter," recalled Singh.

Harjeet says that he was allowed to leave the police station only after he signed the letter stating that he is mentally unstable.

The Logical Indian asked about Harjit's allegation to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (North East) Ved Prakash Surya.

"Why would we make him write such a letter?" asked DCP Surya.

"He was treated well. We identified him, called his parents and handed him over to them. We also did his MLC," he added.

On being asked about how long Harjit was detained, DCP Surya said that he was allowed to leave at midnight on the same day.

"According to the 65 DP Act, we checked his credentials," DCP Surya replied when asked about why Harjit was not informed of the charges under which he was booked.

Section 65 of the Delhi Police Act, 1978, states that 'All persons shall be bound to comply with the reasonable directions given by a police officer in the discharge of his duties under this Act.'

It also mentions that 'Where any person resists, refuses or fails to comply with any direction referred to in sub-section (1), a police officer may, without prejudice to any other action that he may take under any other provision of this Act...'

"While bringing in CAA, why mention specific religious communities, why not just say minorities," Harjit says while mentioning that he draws inspiration from Bhagat Singh's ideologies.

Harjit sustained minor injuries on the face, back and leg.

Also read: Watch: Man Beaten For Raising Anti-CAA Slogans At HM Amit Shah's Rally In Delhi

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Editor : Prateek Gautam

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