A huge gathering of protesters was expected at Red Fort on Thursday as a call was given by students of Jamia Millia Islamia to march from the monument to ITO. However, all those who reached the protest site for the purpose was detained in buses and sent away.
“Get detained or go back,” Delhi Police officers allegedly told the people who came to the site.
Hundreds of protesters were pushed inside buses parked right outside the Red Fort. Barricades began a km ahead of the main entry point of the Red Fort. People trying to reach the place were stopped at every barricaded point and were asked questions.
“They asked us if we had gone there to take part in the protest or for some other purpose. Before we could answer, we were told that if we had gone to protest, we should either go back or get detained,” said Manjari Mishra (26), an M.Phil student from Jawaharlal Nehru University.
As Manjari, stood with her friends Indu Kumari and Kirti, a police officer came and asked them to leave. “According to Section 144, four persons cannot assemble at one place. We are three and this is not against the law,” Indu said. “This is an attack on democracy,” said Manjari.
Several smaller groups raised slogans against the amended Citizenship Act and were taken to the buses within minutes. The police did not allow any protester to stand at the site. Sharif Khan, a local, said: “I came here to encourage the students. This is our country and we are feeling threatened. But the police are not allowing us to stand, especially if they are finding out that we are Muslims.”
Throughout the day, Constable Than Singh held a mic and speaker and made sure people didn’t assemble. “ Chalte rahiye.. aap chalte rahiye [continue walking],” he said.
Protesters did not only walk into detention buses themselves, many were forcibly whisked away by the police. A law student from Delhi University, who identified herself as Swati, was visibly enraged and taken away by female police officers. “Like you say that India cannot become Islamic Republic, it cannot become a Hindu rashtra as well. My message for the Supreme Court is that it should protect the Constitution of India,” she said.
Former JNU student Umar Khalid also walked in with a bunch of people raising slogans and was detained immediately.
As detainees were being escorted in buses, they continued to shout slogans.
In the afternoon, as the protest died down, the road outside the Red Fort was empty people could be heard murmuring that they would proceed to Jantar Mantar.
