Yogi govt using corona to suppress anti-CAA protests, alleges AIKMS, demands immediate release of activists

Yogi government has once again suppressed the democratic rights of the people but this time under the pretext of controlling Coronavirus pandemic, says All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha.

UP Police on Monday arrested All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha (AIKMS) General Secretary Dr Ashish Mital from his house in Allahabad (UP). Another activist Umar Khalid has also been arrested. These arrests have been done to vacate the protest site in Mansoor Park in the city. Protesters were demonstrating against CAA-NRC-NPR.

Much before the coronavirus outbreak in India, UP government has been trying to vacate anti-CAA protestors from the sites. Yogi government has brutally suppressed women protesters in Lucknow, Aligarh, Etawa and several other centres in UP. This is in addition to the large scale firings and killings by the police of the protesters in UP in December, 2019. A large number of Muslim youth and democratic rights activists have been arrested in UP.

Dr Mital has been charged under Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, this Act empowers the designated official to require any person to refrain from doing an act or to deal with the property under his control in the interest of controlling an epidemic disease.

The Allahabad administration issued a notice to Dr Mital on March 21 in which he was asked to “immediately get Dharna by women stopped and fully cooperate with the Admn. If you do not do so, then presuming your full involvement, lawful legal action will be taken against you.”

UP government earlier sealed Ultrasound Centre of Ashish Mittal, Dr. Madhavi Mital, on 8th March 2020.

The clearance of the protest site in UP and Delhi are reportedly a precautionary measure to fight the spread of Novel Coronavirus, whereas the women protesters were taking all the precautions against spread of COVID-19. Protesters themselves reduced the number of participants in protests in view of Coronavirus threat. But actions of UP government and police do not seek just precautions against spread of Coronavirus but is meant to suppress the movement against CAA-NRC-NPR, AIKMS alleges.

Central Executive Committee of All India Kisan Mazdoor Sabha demands immediate release of Dr Ashish Mital and other activists.