A man who had protested against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens in Karimnagar has alleged that police called him for ‘counselling’, intimidated him, said that fundamentalism is seen most in Islam, and told him to ‘speak like an Indian’.
The incident allegedly happened with 37-year-old Mohammad Abdul Mujeeb, a para-legal activist and amateur radio enthusiast.
He said that soon after the protest on December 22, he was summoned to the 1 Town Police Station in Karimnagar where the incident allegedly took place.
Mr. Mujeeb claimed that two police officers were present at the counselling at the police station, where they asked him questions about the Preamble to the Constitution of India, and when the word ‘secularism’ was included in it.
He claimed that one of the officers touched upon the Partition of India and its background. He then allegedly used filthy language to describe Muhammad Ali Jinnah and sought to know whether Mr. Mujeeb agrees with him. After explaining the CAA, the police officer allegedly said that Mr. Mujeeb should agree with his understanding of the legislation if ‘he is a true Indian’.
One of the officers, then allegedly said that Islam has the most ‘fanaticism’, and invoked the so-called Islamic State to buttress his claim. When contacted Mr. Mujeeb wondered how his status as an Indian is dependent on his abusing Jinnah.
For their part, Karimnagar police rejected claims of unparliamentary language being used. Speaking to The Hindu Karimnagar Commissioner of Police V. B. Kamalasan Reddy said that permission was not accorded for the protest. He also said that protesters violated prohibitory orders and that a ‘specific case’ was booked by the 1 Town Police. “Nothing of that sort has happened. No person was abused. There were prohibitory orders in force,” he said.
