Mumbai: Citizens groups and political party members have alleged a police crackdown in the early hours on Wednesday to stop them from joining a rally in support of Palestinians at Azad Maidan later during the day. Some participants received preventive notices from police stations, warning them not to travel to Azad Maidan.
On Tuesday, police denied permission for the rally after complaints from Hindu groups. However, the India-Palestine Solidarity Forum, the organisers of the rally, and members of political parties and civil society groups, announced plans to gather outside the ground. Police detained 19 people who had gathered at Azad Maidan despite the ban on the event.
In a statement, the India-Palestine Solidarity Forum said that police came to the homes of political party workers to detain them. The protests were part of the national call issued by the Left parties and were held across the country, but it's only in Mumbai that the state decided to crackdown, the statement said. Tabrez Ali Sayad, a resident of Powai, said that policemen were at his home at 8.30 am on Wednesday, asking him to report to a nearby police chowky and later at Powai police station where he was detained till evening. “I was supposed to take my newborn baby for vaccination. However, I was asked to leave for the police station. I was kept at Powai police station for more than eight hours without an explanation,” Sayad added.
Meraj Siddiqui, Mumbai general secretary of Samajwadi Party, said policemen knocked at his door at 1.00 am to take him to Chunabhatti Police Station. Shyam Gohil, another activist, received a notice under Section 168 of the Indian Civil Protection Code and the Maharashtra Police Act 68 from the Senior Inspector of MIDC police station, Andheri East, informing him that he has been denied permission to protest at the ground by the Azad Maidan police station. The sections are used by police to prevent cognisable offences.
The notice said that the agitation planned at Azad Maidan is related to an international issue and there was a possibility of the creation of a situation inconsistent with the international policy of the country. Also, political, social and religious organisations have raised objections to the said agitation and hence there is a strong possibility that the agitation will create a law and order problem in the future, the letter said.
Among those detained include members of the Communist Party of India, Samajwadi Party, Peasants and Workers Party, Communist Party of India Marxist-Leninist Liberation, and the India-Palestine Solidarity Forum. “This is being done as part of a draconian crackdown on the organisers to prevent the protest from condemning the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza,” said Feroze Mithiborwala, founder-president of the India Palestine Solidarity Forum, who was detained at MIDC police station between 11.00am and 7.00pm.
Uzair Ahmed, state secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation of India, said the detentions were an attempt to suppress legitimate expression and obstruct democratic dissent. “Standing for justice in Palestine is a moral and humanitarian duty, not a crime. Silencing peaceful voices through police action is a direct attack on democratic rights and freedom of expression. This unprecedented crackdown is being orchestrated under intense political pressure by right-wing forces and is part of a series of draconian measures wrought upon the organisers to prevent the protest from condemning the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza,” said Ahmed.
Police said the action against the gathering was taken as a precautionary measure to prevent any escalation or communal tension in the city. “Permission for the rally was not granted due to security reasons and the possibility of confrontations with opposing groups,” a senior police officer said.
Meanwhile, the Bajrang Dal, which was one of the groups that had complained to the police about the rally, thanked the Mumbai police and the Maharashtra government for stopping the rally. “The groups are trying to spread unrest in the country using the protests. The government should keep a watch on them,” said Gautam Ravaria of the Bajrang Dal.
