CAB protests: Former IAS Kannan Gopinathan, others detained in Mumbai
Before the protests could begin at 7pm at Marine Drive, a handful of the protestors, including former IAS Kannan Gopinathan, were detained by the Mumbai Police.
A large group of people were to reach Marine Drive in Mumbai to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. However, before the protests could begin at 7pm, a handful of the protestors including former IAS Kannan Gopinathan were detained by Mumbai Police.
Kannan Gopinathan and others also asked the police to let them protest, arguing they did not have any placards and they only intended to read the Constitution.
After hearing about the detention of Kannan Gopinathan, Feroze Mithiborwala (Bharat Bachao Andolan), Fahad Ahmed (TISS), Amol Madame (Akhil Bharatiya Parivar), Com. Nasirul Haq (All India Tanzeem E Insaaf), MA Khalid (All India Milli Council), and Faisal Khan (Activist) among others reached the police station.
Although they did not do any sloganeering, the students held out placards and waited for the detainees to come out.
Among the protesters were some students from Assam, the state which has been witnessing violent protests over the newly formed Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The students spoke about how it has become difficult for them to contact their families and that situation in the state was "very scary".
The students said the Act violates the very premise of secularism mentioned in the Constitution of India. After more than one and half hour of detention, Kannan Gopinathan and others were let off by the police.
Speaking to India Today TV, Kannan Gopinathan said, "We were only pointing out by protesting that the NRC and the CAB are unconstitutional as they violate Article 14. We were showing to police that Article 19 allows us to protest peacefully without arms but the Mumbai Police did not let us."
"The police have given us notice under section 149 but we were not violating any law by holding a peaceful protest," he said.
Though about 46 people were detained by Mumbai Police, the notice was handed to only three including Kannan Gopinathan and Mithiborewala. The notice asks them not to protest further.
However, the protesters have decided to carry on with more protests against the Citizenship Act and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
On the notice, Kannan Gopinathan said, "When you take permission from police and then protest then it becomes a concert. We were not here to do a concert. We will continue the protest. There will be a protest at Raj Bhavan. There is a protest at the same place. There is a nationwide protest on December 19. I will continue to protest as I do not want my child to live in a country filled with hatred. I want to make this country a good country for him. If I don't do this now, he will ask me why I have left such a country for him."