FIR Against Former UP Governor Aziz Qureshi for Taking Part in Anti-CAA-NRC March

New Delhi: The Uttar Pradesh police have booked former state governor Aziz Qureshi, along with seven others, for carrying out a candlelight march on February 2, to express solidarity with anti-CAA protesters in Gomti Nagar area of Lucknow.

They were booked for the violation of Section 144 of the CrPc.

Apart from Qureshi, those who have been booked include Mahfooz, Salmaan Mansuri, Mohammed Wali, Rehnuma Khan, Priyanka Mishra and Sunil Lodhi.

Assistant commissioner of police, Gomti Nagar, Santosh Singh told media that around 30-40 persons were taking out a candle light march holding placards against the Citizenship Amendment Act or CAA from Digdiga crossing to Fun Mall.

"They failed to show permission for the protest when asked by the cops," said the officer.

They were charged under unlawful assembly and disobedience to order promulgated by a public servant.

Qureshi, who came to Lucknow to support the women protesting against CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens at the historic Clock Tower, had said: "Why is this law being brought? This (CAA) is communal. This country does not need anything on the basis of religion. People here need employment. People here need justice against injustice."

MISUSE OF SECTION 144

On January 10, the Supreme Court in order said that Section 144 cannot be used to prevent exercise of democratic rights.

Reacting to this,  ex-IG (UP police) SR Darapuri, who was arrested in connection with alleged violence during anti-CAA protests in the Uttar Pradesh, told Newsclick: "The Supreme Court had stated clearly that you cannot threaten people in the name of Section 144. The Yogi Adityanath government imposed Section 144 during the Ayodhya verdict and since then it has continued in the state. By doing this, they are violating the democratic rights of people and state government, in fact, not in compliance of court order."

Darapuri, and Ambedkarite activist, further stated that “dalit organisations, including Bhartiya Dalit Panther -- an organisation that works for the welfare of people from the Scheduled Castes (SC)-- and Lakshya, an organisation of dalit women, were coming forward and supporting the women protesting in Lucknow against CAA and NRC. So, the government will attempt to suppress the voices, but it will rebound fast."

Meanwhile, three people were arrested from Ghantaghar for protesting against CAA and NRC and sent to jail. "On a daily basis, the Lucknow police is arresting people from the protest site but this has not shaken the morale of the women," said a protester.

Meanwhile, the Lucknow police booked around 125-130 women for criminal conspiracy after they allegedly violated prohibitory orders and staged a sit-in against CAA-NRC.

Despite the Uttar Pradesh police's crackdown on protestors, the women are continuing their sit in, undeterred.

Former Lucknow University vice-chancellor Roop Rekha Verma, who is a regular at the protest site, told NewsClick, "The government’s oppressive action and police crackdown have failed to deter these protesting women. They are fighting and are inspiring many women of this country."