Protest Against JNU Violence at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan Called Off

Mumbai police had earlier said agitators gathered at Gateway of India without permission.

Anti-CAA protest in Mumbai’s Azad Maidan.

(Photo: PTI)

Protests being held at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan against the use of violence by goons in Delhi’s JNU have been called off. This comes hours after the Mumbai police shifted the venue from Gateway of India in South Mumbai to Azad Maidan.

The organisers of the protest have decided to regroup and decide on the time and place where the next round of protests can be held.

Earlier on Tuesday morning, protesters were evicted from the Gateway of India in South Mumbai, “ as roads had been blocked, causing inconvenience to tourists and daily commuters,” a police official told The Quint.

According to Police official, the protesters were relocated to Azad Maidan near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, after repeated appeals by cops failed to move the protesters to a different venue.

“As the demonstration was posing problems for tourists and in traffic movement, we requested the protesters to move to Azad Maidan. But some groups did not listen despite our repeated request, so we relocated them to the Azad Maidan.”

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Sangramsingh Nishandar

Protesters who entered Azad Maidan claimed that the Mumbai police was not allowing them to leave the venue. Some even took to social media to share the message, asking demonstrators not to enter Azad Maidan.

Earlier, hundreds of people, including students, women and senior citizens - who assembled at the iconic Gateway of India since Sunday midnight - demanded action against those behind the JNU violence and resignation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Violence broke out at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in Delhi on Sunday, 5 January, as masked men armed with sticks and rods attacked students and teachers and damaged property on the campus. Nearly 34 people were injured in the violence.

With tambourines and guitars in their hands and songs of revolution on their lips, people protested against the attack on JNU students throughout the night in front of the Gateway of India and the Taj Mahal Palace hotel.

Songs like 'Hum dekhenge', 'Hum honge kamyab' and 'Sarfaroshi ki tamanna' rent the air as students of IIT Bombay, TISS, and members of students' organisations, including the ASFI, raised slogans against Modi and Shah.

The protesters waived the tricolour and raised slogans like 'Kagaz nahi dikhayenge' (won't show documents) and 'Tum kaun ho be' (who are you?).

They also raised slogans against the alleged "tanashahi" (dictatorship) of Modi-Shah as they opposed the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register.

There was heavy police deployment at the protest site where water, tea, biscuits and fruits were served to protesters during the night. The city civic body also made arrangements for toilets.

The protest organisers had earlier asked participants to bring food, water, bed sheets, jackets, mats, power banks, charger and medicines along with them.

(With inputs from PTI)