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Poet Munawwar Rana's daughter Sumaiya Rana, who had called for a protest near Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence to protest against unemployment in the state, claims she has been put under house arrest.
"Around 12 in the night, a team of close to 50-60 police personnel, including mostly personnel in uniform, some personnel in civil clothes and woman police personnel arrived outside my residence. They surrounded the gate of my apartment. They created an atmosphere of fear and terror," said Sumaiya Rana to The Quint.
Sumaiya said that she and some other women were planning to protest peacefully on 8 September, against UP government’s tackling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the unemployment in the state.
She claimed that there was police presence outside her father's residence, too, and that she's only being allowed to visit her father.
"Protesting is my fundamental right," she said, adding that she got a notice on saying that there is a restriction on protests due to COVID-19.
Sumaiya's sister Uzma Parveen claims she and some other women, who were planning to protest, have also been put under house arrest. Their movements have also been restricted.
"The government has allowed gatherings of not more that 50 people. We were going to protest with just 20-25 women who were in trouble. We wanted to bang utensils to symbolically wake the CM from his slumber," said Sumaiya, adding that the government has failed to deal with the problems that the people of the state are facing.
Uttar Pradesh police, meanwhile, has denied charges of Sumaiya Rana being put under house arrest and her movement being restricted.
Sumaiya and Uzma were booked in January this year for playing a key role in the anti-CAA protests in Lucknow. Cases were filed against them for public obstruction, making objectionable comments on social media, violating Section 144 imposed in Lucknow at that time and disturbing peace.
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